Robert Warren Bates (left) with his co-star

Robert Warren Bates (left) as Joe the Plumber

Robert 'Basher' Bates

The convicted child abuse grandson of psychopathic Shankill Butcher Robert ‘Basher’ Bates has become a gay porn ‘star’.

The Sunday World can reveal Robert Warren Bates has made a seedy career as a no-holds-barred hard-core porn actor featuring in internet movies and £20 DVDs.

Bates, who is 24, fled his Shankill Road home in 2008 after getting death threats – five years after he had committed a string of illegal sex acts against a boy under 10.

The whole affair sparked a feud between various UVF-linked families on the Shankill Road.

The thug, who received serious beatings from paramilitaries, later returned to the Shankill where he launched a terrifying attack on the home of the grandparents of his young victim.

After he escaped a jail sentence again he went back to England to live when he received more death threats.

It’s from his new home of London where he has etched out a career as a gay porn ‘star’.

Going under the name ‘Joe the Plumber’ Bates plays a handyman who does more than fix a leaky tap.

Some of the videos are free to watch online and are extremely hard-core, often involving sex with several men at the same time. 

He also shot a number of DVDs, which cost £20, called ‘Man and Van: Joe The Plumber’.

According to the blurb on the film it states: “We all know there’s not enough honest tradesmen – cowboy builders, rip-off prices, etc. Well, in Man & Van: Joe the Plumber the rough lad not only comes round and does a good honest day’s work unblocking your plug hole and attending to your old boiler, he also helps out with any other needs his customer’s might have.

 

“Whether it’s in the bathroom, the kitchen Joe’s always got his bag of tools ready and he’s always willing to lend a hand. And he ain’t adverse to sh***** his work mates either.”

The shocking sex scenes throw into doubt his recent claim that being named and shamed on a paedophile facebook page had left him scared to leave his house.

We understand Bates issued legal proceedings against the website in an effort to have his name and face removed.

Bates’ grandfather, known as Robert ‘Basher’ Bates, was one of the most notorious killers in the Troubles after he was involved in at least 10 grisly murders as one of the Shankill Butchers UVF gang.

 Basher Bates mugshot

‘Basher’ was killed by loyalists in 1997 in a revenge attack for killing someone in a bar brawl 20 years before.

One Shankill loyalist told the Sunday World: “This isn’t a massive shock to the people who know Bates on the Shankill Road.

 

“It’s not the first time he has been involved in acting. He used to be involved in doing musical work when he was a community worker before he was discovered to be a child abuser.

 

“I’m pretty sure this isn’t the kind of thing he imagined he would end up doing when he got involved in that, or maybe it’s exactly what he wanted to get into.

 

“Either way it’s the talk of the Shankill and has caused massive embarrassment for his family once again... can’t ever see him coming back here now.”

Bates, who was 13 at the time he committed the sex abuse offences, had been charged with 14 offences including indecent assault and gross indecency.

However in 2009 the then 19-year-old did a deal with the PPS along with the permission of the victim’s family, that he would plead guilty to three counts of gross indecency.

He was sentenced to a year’s youth conference order and told to sign the sex offender’s register for 30 months.

Bates fled to Liverpool after his life was threatened but he soon returned in a violent rage.

In 2010 when Bates was 19, he fled Belfast Crown Court after his two-and-a-half year custodial term was suspended for three years. 

The thug pulled his hood down over his face and sprinted to a waiting van to avoid having his picture taken minutes after the suspended term was imposed. 

Bates admitted aggravated burglary with intent to cause criminal damage and causing criminal damage on April 2 last year. 

The court heard that the home belonged to the grandparents of Bates’ young victim. 

After pouring the paint stripper over the couple’s car, causing almost £5,000 of damage, he began beating the front door down with the sledgehammer. 

As Bates forced his way in the husband locked himself into a bedroom but could hear Bates roaming around the house, shouting threats, smashing doors, windows and fixtures. 

Police who arrived at the scene found Bates outside the house with the weapons still in hand and the officer drew his gun as he felt that his CS spray “would be inadequate”. 

First Minister Peter Robinson

First Minister Peter Robinson has met with Islamic leaders at Stormont.

Robinson has already been forced to apologise to the Muslim leaders after he defended controversial Belfast Pastor James McConnell who said that Islam was "satanic."

He then stated in an interview that would trust a Muslim "to go the shop for him", but does not trust those involved in violence or those devoted to Sharia law.

Public outrage following a spate of racist attacks in Northern Ireland and the comments made by Pastor McConnell and the First Minister culminated in a huge anti-racism rally at Belfast City Hall on Saturday. 

 Anna Lo of the Alliance party had recently stated that she would walk away from politics all together after being the victim or racist slurs herself, but the support she received on Saturday made her think again.

 On a possible return to politics,she told the Sunday World: "I’ll wait and see. Politics here new blood and I believe something good will come out of this.

 

 “People have come here today to show their support for all ethnic minorities and to show their disgust with what this politician [Peter Robinson] has said.”

 She added: “I don’t accept Peter Robinson's apology that he made in private. I’m sure he hates me for challenging him, but there are a lot of people here who want to hear a public apology.

 “If he is not prepared to make his public apology I think he should resign."

After Tuesday's meeting, one of the Muslim delegation who met with Robinson, Imam Ibrahim Noonan of the Galway mosque, said that he is 110% reassured that the First Minister's remarks were taken out of context, but said that he feels Pastor James McConnell should make a public apology.  

Ken Doherty with Alex Higgins during their Sunday World exhibition match in 1997

Belfast’s Waterfront Hall has been the setting for some of Irish snooker star Ken Doherty’s fondest moments.

 But his favourite occasion, when he took on Alex Higgins in 1997 at Higgins’s Testimonial match, arranged by the Sunday World, lives long in his memory.

 And he told the Sunday World this week that when he walks back out in front of thousands of fans to compete in the Snooker Legends event at the Waterfront on Friday, he still thinks of ‘Higgy’ when he thinks of Belfast.

 “That night back in ‘97 was a magical evening, particularly because I got to play against one of my heroes, Alex Higgins,” said Ken.

 “I always remember Higgins coming out with the hat and the white jacket on that night. He did look a bit frail. 

“After the match I was on my own in the dressing room. I went to Higgy’s room to say goodbye and when the door opened, this huge waft of smoke billowed out. 

 “When I looked in the beer, wine and champagne was flowing and he came out with a glass of champagne in his hand looking like a million dollars – like a Hollywood movie star!”

 As a close confidant and friend of Higgins, Ken also spoke of his shock when the Belfast snooker legend passed away back in 2010. 

 While playing at a snooker tournament abroad Ken explained how, when he received the news of Higgins’ death, he initially thought it was a prank. 

 Ken said: “I was with Joe Swail and Jimmy White in a tournament in Thailand. We thought the news was a wind up, but when we rang back home it was very, very sad. When we went to the funeral and carried the coffin it was very special. 

 

“At the funeral, even though everyone was very sad, we sat around a table in the Europa Hotel and we all told stories about Alex Higgins, and I think that’s what he would have wanted. 

 

“The people of Belfast lined the streets for him and clapped him all the way down.”

Like Higgy, Ken found typically Irish humour in the gloom of a funeral, pointing out that is was quite apt that the late hell-raiser was drawn in a cart to his resting place by two horses.

He laughed: “He was taken through Belfast by two slow horses in a carriage. We were wondering which one he’d backed….”

Every snooker player and Northern Irish personality tends to have a favourite story about Higgy, but Ken’s is a personal, and somewhat lesser heard instance of the great player taking the mick out of himself, in a roundabout manner.

 “Higgins came down to Dublin to practice with me for the Irish Professional Championship once,” told Ken, who’s also die-hard Manchester United fan. 

“His picture had pride of place on the wall of my snooker room at the Radisson Hotel. He came across a picture of myself and George Best 

that was taken back in 1988. 

“He had a pint of Guinness in one hand, a smoke in the other, the glasses on the bridge of the nose and a copy of the Racing Post in his back pocket.

 “I said to him, ‘there’s your old pal Georgie Best.’

 “‘Geordie Best…’, he says, shaking his head. ‘What a waste.’” 

Ken playing earlier this year 

  Ken’s latest trip to Belfast will be on June 7 – next Friday night, when he and his fellow snooker heroes travel to the Waterfront Hall for a few nostalgic games. 

“These legends nights are fantastic form,” said an ever enthusiastic Ken.

 “I think the one we had in Belfast last year had about a thousand people at it. It’s a great night out. 

“As well as seeing really good snooker being played, you get to see a different side to the players as well. You get to see us ripping into each other.”

 He also showed that the older generation of snooker stars still take the game seriously, even with a more laid back ‘showcase’ approach.

“I’ll be teaming up with the happy-go-lucky Stephen Hendry to take on Jimmy White and John Parrott,” said ken. “It’ll be like country clash for us!

“Jimmy is one of my heroes as well and JP, who I’ve worked a lot with and played a lot, is great fun as well. He’s a great lad and great fun. He’s a scouser though, but you can’t have everything can you?

“As much banter as we’ll be having, we’ll still be trying to beat each other. It’s still important for us to have those bragging rights!”

 The Man U man also spoke of his huge disappointment at the season his beloved Red Devils have had both domestically and in Europe.

 He joked: “Last season is a blur. It was very disappointing. To be so far behind was unfathomable, you can’t comprehend it. It was a bit of a shock to the system. I’m not sure whether Van Gaal is the right man for the job, or whether he’ll stick it out and last.”

 Ken’s son Christian, now six, enjoys watching his play as much as anyone. But Ken revealed how his boy is “mad into tennis. He plays tennis about five times a week. He loves all sport.

 “His mother said she doesn’t want him following in my footsteps because it’s a long road, it’s a very tough road and as all sports person’s lives are. Playing sport can only benefit him in the long run.”

Pastor James McConnell

Controversial Pastor James McConnell is already preaching his anti-Muslim beliefs to the converted.

For we can reveal his church is attended by senior race hate figures including BNP Ulster boss Steven Moore and Britain First leader Paul Golding.

Other right-wing loyalists have also joined the church's 2,000 strong congregation and regularly attend the Whitewell Tabernacle to hear Pastor McConnell deliver his contentious sermons.

Mr McConnell, who last week described Islam as being “Satanic”, has remained in the headlines this week because he won support from First Minister Peter Robinson.

Anti-fascist campaigners have told the Sunday World that far-right leaders in Northern Ireland are “ecstatic” with McConnell’s speech for bringing their beliefs out into the mainstream. 

One of those leaders – Steven Moore – has been running the Ulster branch of the BNP for the last five years but hasn’t had too much success.

Last week he stood in the local council elections in the Coast Road ward of Mid and east Antrim but attracted a measly 73 votes – and that’s 16 votes less than he got in the council elections in 2011.

“Moore and his BNP chums are ecstatic that Peter Robinson has backed the Pastor's terrible comments about Muslims,” said one anti-fascist.

 

“It’s like all their Christmases have come at once watching everyone turn on each other over this. The comments have exposed Northern Ireland’s deep rooted racism and made people who feel that way think it’s acceptable to express those thoughts publicly.”

Ulster BNP organiser Moore was exposed by the Sunday World in 2010 as a racist who loves Hitler videos, slagging off ethnic minorities and listening to twisted skinhead bands.

Ex-forces Moore is a great fan of pastor McConnell and has campaigned vigorously against Muslims. 

He launched a campaign to stop a mosque allegedly being built in Ballymena and launched another hate campaign to terrify the people of Larne that a proposed detention centre for failed asylum seekers would turn their town into some sort of Asian ghetto.

We exposed Moore for calling Muslims “ragheads” and Catholics “Taigs”.

And he regularly posts his bigoted comments online including: “Why the f**k do parents allow their daughters to run about at all hours of the night with Asians when these outrages are common knowledge? Bring back the rope.”

And another highlights his loyalist roots: “F**k the Bloody Sunday enquiry. We have always been the victims of republican genocide.”

But in 2011 we revealed, that despite his desire for the repatriation of non-white people in the UK, his own father-in-law is an Indian man who lives in Larne.

Meanwhile Britain First boss Paul Golding has been a frequent visitor to Ulster after he teamed up with former BNP fundraiser Jim Dowson.

The pair made Belfast their funding base and have expanded the anti-Islam group throughout the UK.

Recently Golding has been organising shocking ‘Mosque Invasions’ in England and then posting them online.

During these so-called invasions Golding and his gang of far-right pals, which included convicted loyalist terrorist Matt King, enter mosques and intimidate those inside.

They recently entered the East London Mosque in Whitechapel to hand out Army issued bibles and Christian leaflets and asked to speak to the Imam.

The party staged similar invasions at mosques in Bradford and Scotland during their campaign against Muslim grooming gangs. 

Described by anti-fascist campaign group Hope Not Hate as “probably the only group experiencing growth on the far-right”, Britain First has attracted attention in 2014 because of the mosque “invasions” and their so-called “Christian Patrols” which they conducted around east London.

Driving around in military jeeps, Golding’s group handed more Christian literature to Muslims round Tower Hamlets and staged protests by drinking alcohol outside mosques.

Pastor McConnell’s anti-Islam comments have divided opinion and led to heated debate about whether they were racist or not.

First Minister Peter Robinson’s comments have landed him in hot water and there have even been calls for him to resign.

Meanwhile the Sunday World understands senior party figures within the Alliance Party have appealed to Anna Lo not to quit politics.

The south Belfast MLA, who’s originally from China, said she was planning to leave Northern Ireland because she was fed up with racial abuse.

Terry Fairfield after Haddock tried to slash his throat

Mark Haddock

Mark Haddock has been sentenced to 12 years for an attack on Terry Fairfield in January.

In January of this year, Haddock attacked Terry Fairfield outside a  pub in Newport Pagnell, England.

At the time, Fairfield spoke to the Sunday World about the attack, stating that Haddock had screamed "I'm going to kill you" while slashing his threat.

Fairfield was lucky to get away 27 external stitches and three internal ones in the attack which left him reeling on the ground.

57-year-old Fairfield, from the Tynedale Estate in North Belfast, helped Haddock set up a new life for himself in England.

He told the Sunday World: “I’m now ashamed that I agreed to Haddock coming over here. 

“I was approached by someone close to him, who feared he was going to be the subject of another assassination attempt back home, I tried to help save his life.

“Instead, he ended up trying to take mine….”

John Hannah as Billy Bingham in Shooting for Socrates

Ulster footie film Shooting for Socrates has already scored support from world soccer’s ruling body FIFA.

In a first for FIFA it has agreed to plug the movie about Northern Ireland playing Brazil in the 1986 World Cup when it’s released later this year.

Its Vice President Jim Boyce, former head of the Irish Football Association, was central to securing the official support for the film, penned by Belfast playwright 

The move will give the David-versus-Goliath tale of Northern Ireland taking on Brazil in 1986 a global platform.

At the launch of the trailer in Belfast last week Boyce revealed his clout in FIFA had got the top brass to watch Shooting for Socrates, and they loved it.

“You go to the top, not to the bottom. I showed it to the top people in FIFA who were very impressed with what they saw,” says Jim.

 

“They asked where did the footage come from. That’s what was recreated on the pitch.

 

“They loved it and it’s a brilliant film so it will be on FIFA’s social media sites from June.

 

“It will appeal to not only the football fans in Northern Ireland but football fans across the world.”

It’s the first time the soccer body has ever agreed to back a film but the feel good story struck a chord.

The film stars The Mummy actor John Hannah as Billy Bingham, who led minnows Northern Ireland into a World Cup battle against football giants Brazil, led by philosophy-loving Socrates de Souza.

It centres on the story of rookie David Campbell, played by Nico Mirallegro, who was BAFTA nominated last month for his role in The Village. Campbell was on the subs bench when he earned his first international cap in a dream spot against the best team in the world.

 Brazil legend Socrates

While the underdog team battles searing heat and impossible odds in Mexico, back home the film follows soccer mad Belfast boy Tommy, played by young Dracula Untold actor Art Parkinson, and his Samson and Goliath crane-driving dad Arthur, brought to life by Good Vibrations star Richard Dormer.

Game of Thrones and Suits star Conleth Hill takes on the role of sports commentator Jackie Fullerton and Shameless star Aaron McCusker is soccer legend Gerry Armstrong.

FIFA deputy Boyce says the last local football squads to qualify for the World Cup will always be remembered in Northern Ireland.

But he predicts it will be a near miracle for it to happen again, because of the increase in the number of teams competing and the changes in the make up of the 

“Northern Ireland qualifying in 1982 and 1986 were tremendous days,” he says.

“Now it’s much more difficult. In the Premier League 65 per cent are foreign players. A young boy who goes across the water has got to be exceptional to play regularly in the top league.

“Clubs are not taking top young players from Northern Ireland across the water and giving them the opportunity because of the change in culture.

“Now I think there is so much money in the game that players are more worried about their own club career. Let’s hope we can get back to those days but it’s going to be very difficult,” he says.

New Black Films had hoped the movie would be out in time for this year's World Cup in Brazil but it’s currently in post-production and they're aiming for an autumn release.

Footballer David Campbell, who kicked off the project during a chance meeting on a yacht in Cannes when he was asked what his best soccer moment was, believes it will appeal to a wider audience than just football fans.

And he says the audience will get a laugh too at the portrayal of the Ulster lads trying to cope with the heat in Mexico.

“The first time we want for a walk we thought our teeth were going to burn out of us. We could hardly walk 20 yards and we were playing in a couple of weeks,” says David.

Jamesy Reid

This Sunday in the Sunday World, we expose the bitter internal feud ravaging the UVF that has led UVF hood Jamesy Reid to demand: "Give me guns!"

Jamesy 'Mr Bump' Reid is running scared after a UVF stalwart turned up at his front door and offered the self-proclaimed hard lad a fair dig. 

Read the full story this Sunday in the Sunday World

The GAA are to investigate after a mass punch-up broke out ahead of Sunday's Ulster Championship match at the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.

Families with young children looked on as the Armagh and Cavan players became embroiled in a pitched battle during the pre-match parade.

The GAA's Aogan O Fearghail said the clash was "unsightly and not something I would welcome at all."

The Ulster Council of the GAA said that it will view the referee's report before taking any action.

Shirley Valentine

The Ulster woman found murdered in Athens had been living a dream ‘Shirley Valentine’ life which ended in a Greek tragedy.

The 48-year-old, named locally as Lorna Boyle, came originally from Lisnaskea Co Fermanagh but had left her husband five years ago to move in with her Greek lover.

It’s understood she met the man – who is now the main suspect in her murder – while she had been on holiday to Greece.

The body of the mother-of three was discovered last Sunday after her partner contacted the police - seemingly three weeks after she had died.

Neighbours had complained about a smell coming from the apartment which her partner had blamed on a problem with the plumbing.

Police sources have said they believe Mrs Boyle may have been dead for three weeks or more.

Her wounds were described as being, “consistent with being struck by a sharp-edged object”.

Greek police have arrested her 52-year-old partner who neighbours say she had heated arguments with on a regular basis.

It has also been claimed locally that the man had a notoriously bad temper and also suffered from “psychological problems”.

Last night sources in Lisnaskea told the Sunday World the family were “devastated” at what had happened.

“It’s tragic for her husband and three kids,” said a source.

“Lorna was estranged from her husband after meeting a Greek man while on holiday years ago.

“Everyone called her Shirley Valentine after the film. She has been living out there for years. The circumstances of her death have devastated her family.”

It’s not known if the family will travel out to Athens where Greek police were continuing their investigations and there was no indication when her body would be returned to Ireland.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs said: “We are aware of the case and the department is providing consular assistance to the woman’s family.”

Sinn Féin councillor Brian McCaffrey, who is from Roslea, said her family was liaising with the Irish embassy.

“They wish to express their gratitude to the embassy staff and the staff at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin for their continuing assistance,” he said.

The PSNI said they had not been asked to get involved in any investigation at this stage.

Reports suggested Mrs Boyle had been working in various bars. She shared the apartment where she was found with her partner in the Ambelokipi area of central Athens.

Some reports in Athens suggested the couple were actually married but that has not been confirmed.

Police had been called by local residents who complained of a strange smell coming from the flat.

In a statement, Greek police said they found the woman on a bed in the apartment after the suspect eventually contacted them on Sunday.

The man, who told officers at the scene he did not kill the woman, was arrested that night.

A police source said that the woman was dead for three weeks and that she had been killed during a violent argument in the home.

Neighbours told local media outlets that they had complained about a smell from that flat but they were told by the man living there that he had plumbing problems.

A Greek newspaper reported that when police officers entered the flat complex, they found the woman’s body on the bed in a first floor flat.

A man in the flat shouted to the police not to kill him.

A toxicology report was being prepared last night.

It has been reported that the man stayed close to the body throughout the time after the death, even though it had started decomposing.

The manager of the apartment complex said the couple had been living in the rented flat for two years. The suspect is reported to have faced a prosecutor on Wednesday and didn’t release any of his personal details.

The suspect is known to have psychological problems, according to an Athens newspaper, and had displayed aggressive behaviour in the past, but the report noted that no one had believed that it would reach this point.

​

Lily Kelly

The sister of UVF murder victim Bobby Moffett says she wasn’t surprised to be told the police are refusing to cooperate fully with the Police Ombudsman about her brother’s killing.

Lily Kelly says she contacted her solicitor after seeing that Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire is suing the Chief Constable Matt Baggott over allegations the PSNI are withholding information about 60 murders.

Bobby Moffett was gunned down in broad daylight during a busy shopping day on the Shankill Road four years ago. 

Despite numerous arrests nobody has ever been charged with his death, which was sanctioned and carried out by the UVF.

“When I saw it on the news I contacted my solicitor and he was able to find out that Bobby’s case is one of the 60 murders that the PSNI are being taken to court over,” said Lily Kelly.

 

“I’m furious but I’m hardly surprised to be honest. We have long thought the police are protecting someone. They know who killed Bobby but nobody has been charged.

 

“That’s why we went to the Ombudsman in the first place because we thought something was very wrong about the way they were investigating Bobby’s murder.

 

“We have no faith in the police and this has just confirmed our worst fears.”

And Lily says she doesn’t know if the family will ever get justice for Bobby.

“It’s appalling that a group like the UVF can take away a life in such a brutal manner - I mean it was broad daylight on a busy street when they gunned him down in cold blood.

“And this wasn’t something that happened back during the Troubles - this is only four years ago - there’s no excuse for not bringing these people to justice.

“The police should be doing everything to bring those people to court but something is wrong. We are meeting with our solicitor this week to get more details about what exactly the police are withholding.”

Michael Maguire took the unprecedented action of taking the Chief Constable to court because he said his team couldn’t operate properly without the necessary information.

Another of the cases involves Catholic police Constable Peadar Heffron.

As captain of the PSNI’s Gaelic football team and an Irish speaker he was a high profile target for dissident republicans.

In January 2010, he was critically injured as he left his home near Randalstown, County Antrim, to travel to work in Belfast.

The Police Ombudsman later received a tip-off claiming that weeks before the bombing, someone had warned the PSNI of a potential attack on an unnamed police officer.

The PSNI have refused to hand over information about that warning.

They have also been accused of withholding information about the murder of another police officer, John Larmour who was shot dead by the IRA in 1988.

His son, Gavin, says the PSNI have deliberately blocked the Ombudsman’s investigation into the murder because they were protecting an informer.

The PSNI has said it had a legal responsibility for the management of all information that it holds, and that it could not release information if it could potentially endanger lives.

However, the Police Ombudsman and his senior investigators have top-level security clearance - the same as the chief constable and other senior police officers.

The PSNI say they hope to resolve the dispute without the need to go into court.

James Reid

Top UVF hood Jamsey Reid pleaded to his East Belfast boss, Stephen ‘Ugly Doris’ Matthews, yesterday: “Please give me guns”.

Convicted armed robber and serial criminal Reid wants to spark another bloody internecine loyalist feud. 

But this time it’s internal – UVF versus UVF.

And it’s because an ‘old time’ UVF man went hunting for Reid.

He went to Reid’s own door in the Ballybeen estate in Belfast. He wanted to offer Reid – who we once pictured dressed up as ‘Dangermouse’ – a ‘free dig’. 

Reid wasn’t there but he now knows that the UVF man is hunting him. 

The former UVF commander in East Belfast, who was deposed in an internal coup orchestrated by ‘Ugly Doris’ and his hood henchmen, had put the windows in the Ballybeen home of a relative close to Reid. 

According to veteran loyalist sources in the east of the city, ‘Reid hadn’t the balls’ to take on the old-timer face-to-face. 

But a UVF squad of Reid’s close allies went and gave the old-timer a bad beating. 

That’s why he is now hunting for Reid. 

And Reid has gone running looking for guns to protect himself. 

Last night, sources in East Belfast said a feud between two factions of the UVF – the ‘new’ and the ‘old’ – is about to boil over. 

There are already two distinct UVF camps in the east of the city. 

Matthews’ mob operate from one pub close to Ugly Doris’s home.

The ‘old timers’ are based in another 

pub operated by a once-respected UVF commander who is also not a fan of ‘Ugly Doris’ and his team. 

As has been proved recently, in spite of decommissioning, the UVF in East Belfast still has access to weapons. 

That was proven in the vile shooting and wounding of Jemma McGrath, the one-time schoolgirl mistress of UVF crimelord Stephen Matthews. 

And to add to the potent, and potentially explosive mix, in the east of the city, the UDA is also in a ‘Mexican stand-off’ with Matthews’ mob. 

Memories in both paraMafia mobs are still fresh of a huge battle between the two factions on the Beersbridge Road.

Up to 200 men were embroiled in the street battle then which left one senior UDA man with brain damage. 

There was also a big bust-up between the UVF and UDA at a wedding reception in a social club in the east end over the past couple of weeks. 

That resulted in one UVF-affiliated flute band being told that they were ‘not welcome’ at a big band parade on the Newtownards Road. 

And tensions between the UVF and the UDA over there have ‘really hit a sour note’ since, according to our sources. 

Meanwhile, career criminal Reid –- recently banged up for armed robbery, but not out of jail – has been revealed by the Sunday World as a serial sue merchant. 

Two weeks ago we exposed Reid as having sued the Housing Executive four times – claiming he fell down the same flight of stairs on each occasion. 

He trousered £20,000 for ‘personal injury’ in the claims. 

Now his row with the former UVF commander has turned both ‘personal’ and poisonous. And Reid was running around looking for guns yesterday.

“If he gets them, and uses them, it will spark another bloody loyalist feud,” said one source.

Robert Chrisie Jr

Tributes have been flooding in for the young boy who was overcome by slurry fumes on a farm at the weekend.

The boy's father, also called Robert, is still in a critical condition at the Causeway Hospital.

The father and son were discovered on a neighbour's farm on the Ballynoob Road near Dunloy after they collapsed on Saturday.

Robert Christie, 8, who was laid to rest yesterday, was described by his school principal as "friends with everybody, he made time for people, he shared whatever he had with them at playtime."

The Knockahollet Primary school principal, Gerry Black, added: "He would always say hello to you. He's going to be greatly missed by his friends, his classmates, the staff and the wider family. It's just a terrible tragedy.

 

"He lived for the weekends because that was his time to get out with his dad on the farm, and that was his passion."

Secretary of State Therese Villiers said: "This is a terrible accident and the tragic loss of a young life. The news of Robert's death will have shocked Northern Ireland's farming community.

"I send my sincere sympathies to his bereaved family and wish his father a full recovery."

 Friend of the family and SDLP councillor, Harry Boyle, said: "Coming from a farming family, I know all too well the dangers of slurry. I share in the pain that the Christie's are experiencing right now, as will all those in the farming community.

"They have been deeply rooted in the local community and that is clearly evidenced by the fact that the family often travelled to help elderly farmers nearby."

Freddie Scappaticci

Veteran Ulster Unionist politician Jim Rodgers has called on the police and Historical Enquiries team to reopen their investigation into the murder of MP Robert Bradford.

The Belfast Alderman made the plea after notorious IRA double agent Freddie Scappaticci was linked to the unsolved murder.

Sources close to the double murder in 1981 of Reverend Bradford, a Methodist minister and the MP for South Belfast and Belfast man Ken Campbell, say Scappaticci has been identified by witnesses as one of the killers.

The brazen murder, which was claimed by the IRA, sent shockwaves across Northern Ireland during an already volatile period of the Troubles.

Despite a massive police operation and Bradford’s high profile no one has ever been convicted in connection with it.

West Belfast man Scappaticci, codenamed Stakeknife, was a ruthless IRA murderer who was suspected of involvement in the deaths of dozens of loyalists, policemen and civilians. 

He was also in charge of the Provo’s Nutting Squad, its internal security unit which dealt with informers. Many Republicans died at Scap’s hands and others were sacrificed to protect the Army’s most valuable secret agent.

He was exposed as an agent in 2003 and fled Northern Ireland.

Scap was active at around the time of the Bradford and Campbell murders and has been informally identified by several of the witnesses in Finaghy Community Centre on the day of the murders.

Alderman Rodgers was a close pal of Rev Bradford and says the killings have been largely forgotten.

He believes his friend was killed because he was about to expose corruption in the Royal Victoria Hospital, to which some Republicans were linked.

“I am calling on the HET to pursue this along with the police because there have been claims that a well-known Republican tout was involved in the murder,” says the Ulster Unionist.

“Robert was about to reveal news about corruption in the RVH. A number of people had suspected at the time that some Republican who was working with police could well have been involved but nothing has ever been proven. 

“This case should be reopened and pursued.”

The PSNI were under pressure last week from Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire for failing to provide information on police investigations into 60 murders.

Emergency services at the scene of the crash

A five-year-old boy who was a pupil at Holy Cross Boy's School has died after a car and a bicycle were involved in an accident.

The boy is believed to have been playing on his bike when the accident happened. 

School principal, Kevin McAreavy said: "The entire school community has been devastated by news of this awful tragedy.

 

"The boy concerned was a lovely child. He had a radiant smile that could light up any room”

He added: "This is an awful day for the family, friends, staff and children."

Describing what happened to the boy, Mr McAreavy explained:"He was playing on his bike, as he normally would, before going to school.

"His mum, I'm aware, was calling him in for school when the accident happened."

Mr McAreavy also confirmed that the school has arranged special support measures for the boy's classmates. 

A man in his 30s is in a critical condition after he was attacked in Derry.

The attack happened outside a licensed premises in the Waterloo Street area at around 9pm.

A man in his 20s was arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and is being questioned by police.

The police have asked witnesses or anyone with information to contact them on 101.

Mark McKeeman

This is the woman beating thug who told a court his ex-partner deliberately ran into a lamp-post to get him into trouble.

Mark McKeeman, from Cambridge Park, Coleraine, had in fact head-butted his victim in a sickening attack.

He came up with the cock-and-bull story and took it all the way through his trial at Dungannon Magistrates Court this week.

The 36-year-old was contesting a charge of assaulting the woman as the pair made their way home from a night out in Cookstown on September 15 last year. 

He further denied a raft of additional charges of assaulting police who came to the scene, and maintained the charges against him were fabricated.

Judge John Meehan described his story as “ludicrous” and lambasted him for “wasting public money” before finding him guilty on all counts.

And in a final blast at the thug Judge Meehan denied his application for legal aid to be extended to pay his barrister’s fees, stating the case was “not in the public interest.”

McKeeman’s former partner gave evidence of their night out drinking which had been uneventful until McKeeman launched a vicious and unprovoked attack.

She said he threw his takeaway food at her and followed this with a head-butt to the face, causing an injury to the bridge of her nose which was bleeding profusely. 

Two males who were in the area had come to her aid.

This was denied outright by McKeeman who provided a completely contrary version of events.

Contending he could “recall the evening 100 per cent”, McKeeman insisted he had drunk no alcohol except for two shandies and insisted his ex-partner was intoxicated. 

He said: “We were walking back to her house and she went clean off. She punched and slapped me about the head. 

“I told her I couldn’t cope with her and I was walking away. Then she said ‘I’ll get you into f***ing trouble’ and stuck her head straight into a lamppost. The blood was pissing out of her.”

Police arrived and McKeeman was arrested. In custody he was said to be obstructive and confrontational, and assaulted several officers, which he denied.

He contended: “I was kept in cuffs the whole time so how could I assault anyone? On first seeing me the custody sergeant said, ‘Oh look, here’s the wife batterer’.

 

The police log showed he arrived in custody with a cut to his head which was bleeding but McKeeman denied this saying he sustained a serious head injury because police “shoved his face into the door frame of a cell.”

He said: “The way they moved me was what I call, beyond a joke. The custody sergeant likes to think he’s a bit of a hard man. He put me in a headlock but didn’t say that to anyone. He then banged my head against a door frame while calling me a wife batterer. He was hee-hawing and laughing about it.”

On being challenged why he made no reference in his statement to a lamppost causing an alleged self-inflicted injury to the victim he said, “That’s what happens when they don’t bother to write it down.”

The prosecution lawyer said: “So you make the case the victim is lying, the custody sergeant is lying, officers from the scene are lying and the doctor is lying. Everyone is lying but you.”

McKeeman retorted: “Police lie all the time anyway. They’ve been lying since I came here today.”

District Judge John Meehan said: “This is one of these cases which come up time after time, wasting public money, in which the outcome becomes blatantly obvious with every increasing ludicrous assertion. 

“There is nothing to lend any tissue of credibility to anything he has to say.”

Pre-sentence reports were ordered and McKeeman to return to court on June 25.

The Grove Shopping Centre

A woman has been stabbed in the Grove Shopping Centre in the Lower Market Street area of Downpatrick.

It is understood the attack took place as a her attacker tried to wrestle her handbag from her.

A PSNI spokesperson said: "During the struggle the woman sustained a head injury and an injury to her arm."

The attack happened this morning shortly before 9.30am.

Local SDLP councillor Colin McGrath said: "It appears that this attack was against a woman who was going about her business at the local Post Office.

 

"This type of attack in such a public place and during the day time in our Main Street is extremely worrying and totally reckless. My thoughts are with the victim and her family at this difficult time."

The woman's injuries are not thought to be life threatening and the attacker made off with nothing.

Police are appealing for witnesses. 

An 18-year-old youth has been shot five times in Derry.

The young man was shot just after 11pm on Thursday night in the Creggan area of the city.

He was brutally hit three times in his right leg and two times in his left leg on Rathlin Drive.

His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

SDLP MLA Pat Ramsey said: "It confirms undemocratic elements in the community are attempting to get control and gain influence. This is sinister and unwelcome."

 

He added: "There is no evidence the victims of these attacks are guilty of any crime, and nothing can justify such an attack. 

"These attacks are wrong, unjust and unfair, and I call on those responsible for these attacks to stop immediately. These people are not representative of the people of Derry."

Logan Crawford, who died after tragic cliff fall

A seven-year-old boy has died after falling from cliffs in Ballycastle.

Logan Crawford, from Ballycastle, was playing with friends near a holiday park when it is believed he fell from a cliff.

The tragic accident happened on Sunday evening.

The Ballycastle Integrated Primary School pupil had been reported missing before being found roughly and hour later.

He was taken to hospital by helicopter but sadly died from his injuries. 

His classmates have been offered counselling today.

SDLP councillor Donal Cunningham said: "This is absolutely heartbreaking news and my heart goes out to the little boy's family and friends.

"It is a terrible tragedy and I know the entire area will be deeply saddened at the devastating news of such an untimely death of a young child.

"My thoughts and prayers are with his loved ones at this very sad time."

The cliffs at Ballycastle are 365ft high in some parts.

Just a few weeks ago, an American tourist died after falling from them.

A Portglenone man has appeared in charged with murdering his partner (32) on Sunday.

Richard McAuley of Townhill Road, Portglenone, appeared in court on Monday morning and has been remanded in custody until July 10.

He is charged with killing Denise Dunlop, 32, at her home in Centuripe Avenue, Ballymena.

In McAuley's first court appearance, a detective said he could connect the accused to the crime.