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William Parkinson
This is the senior Orangeman who’s ‘on his knees’ begging to keep his job as a prison officer after being convicted for his part in a loyalist riot.
Veteran warden William Parkinson is fighting to save his 34-year Prison Service career after he pleaded guilty to disorderly behaviour following a loyalist protest which ended in serious violence last year.
Parkinson, who’s also a former Worshipful Master of the Royal Black Preceptory as well as a leading figure in the Orange Order, was at a loyalist protest on August 9 in Belfast City Centre aimed at stopping a republican anti-internment parade from marching down Royal Avenue.
Twenty-six police officers and two members of the public were injured during the prolonged violence which continued long into the night.
On the day in question rioting erupted just after 6 pm in Royal Avenue when several thousand loyalists blocked the road and attacked police lines with missiles, smoke bombs and fireworks.
As a result, police stopped the republican parade in North Queen Street before it headed to Royal Avenue.
Parkinson is one of dozens of loyalists who were arrested in connection with the disorder including UVF boss Colin ‘Meerkat’ Fulton, who was scooped on night itself.
The 57-year-old was suspended from the Prison Service – on full pay – when he was arrested after being identified earlier this year by officers involved in ‘Operation Titan’ – which has been using video footage to identify trouble makers at various loyalist protests.
On March 21 this year at Belfast Magistrates Court Parkinson pleaded guilty to using, “disorderly behaviour in a public place, namely at or about Royal Avenue, Belfast, contrary to Article 18(1)(a) of the Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987.”
He was fined £500 and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.
The Sunday World understands Parkinson was informed last week by the senior governor of Maghaberry Prison, along with the jail’s security director, that he was to be dismissed following his conviction.
However we understand he has appealed the decision and has engaged the support of the Prison Officer’s Association (POA) to help win his case.
Last night a spokesperson for the Department of Justice said Parkinson had not been sacked.
They said: “In regards the Prison Officer you have asked about, internal disciplinary proceedings are still ongoing.”
Parkinson was due to retire this year and is fighting desperately to save himself from the sack as it is likely to affect the financial terms of his departure.
It’s not clear exactly what consequences being officially sacked could have on his pension.
Parkinson joined the service in 1980 had a very respected job within Maghaberry Prison – working as a supervisor of the metal fabrication unit inside the jail.
One of their roles was to collect old wheelchairs and other disability aids from the local hospitals and then prisoners would refurbish them so they could be sent out to Africa to be used again.
“Parkinson has been really stupid,” said a prison source. “He was all ready to ride out into the sunset with 34-years’ service behind him and then he goes and gets himself involved in this.
“For a prison officer to be involved in something like this is terrible. The Prison Service expects the highest of standards from its officers and they take a serious dim view of anyone caught up in trouble like this.
“And it harms other prison officers who are trying their best to make the Prison Service look like it has moved on from the Troubles.
“He held several positions of trust within the Prison Service over the years including treasurer of the POA in the old Belfast Prison.
“But he would have been seen at Drumcree protests in the past and he wasn’t exactly everyone’s favourite prison officer.
“Put it this way – there are plenty of people who wouldn’t lose a lot of sleep if he does get sacked.”
On August 9 police forced loyalist protesters back up Peters Hill and into the Shankill using water cannon before the republicans marched past the flashpoint area.
Loyalists claimed it was “victory over terrorism” as republicans were not allowed to march down Royal Avenue.
PSNI resources were stretched to the limit as loyalists and republicans converged from many parts of the city looking for trouble.
At one point officers were caught in the middle of a street battle between rival loyalist and republican factions in what was one of the worst nights of violence ever seen in the city centre.
The PSNI riot squad used water cannon to push loyalist protesters up the Shankill Road but as they retreated they wreaked havoc as they went, attacking shops and pubs at random.
In other parts of the city centre, republican crowds gathered in Castle Street, Kent Street and Library Street, not far from where up to 2,000 loyalists are holding a protest and refusing to move from the street.
Reacting to the violence, on the night North Belfast DUP MLA Nelson McCausland commented: “The march by a dissident republican rabble was designed to provoke a violent loyalist reaction and it succeeded.”