Mixed messages…

DEBORAH McAleese reports that four men under UDA orders who attacked an ice cream vendor who refused to pay ‘protection money’ escaped custodial sentences. According to Mickey Donnelly, the judge was apparently bound by the constraints of the law (which absolves him to an extent). However, while the four loyalist monkeys are still free, questions must be raised about why the two UDA organ grinders were not facing charges, with Judge Neil McKay stating that “it is most regrettable, for whatever reason, these men were not
brought before the court and severely punished for their disgracful behaviour”. It’s not like the PSNI don’t know their identity – after all, the ice cream salesman was an undercover cop. At a time when there is concern in both the unionist and nationalist communities about who really controls the streets here – loyalist terrorists/gangsters or the PSNI – it sends out a very worrying message.

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