Donaghadee bonfire in flames on July 5th
August 07, 2022.
The UDA threatened to break the arms of two teenage girls who set fire to one of its bonfires before the Eleventh Night unless their families paid fines totalling £2,000.
The blatant act of extortion took place in Donaghadee, Co Down, where the terror group built a bonfire next to the hockey pitch.
On July 5, two 13-year-old schoolgirls set fire to the structure, resulting in six fire engines being called to put out the blaze.
Furious North Down UDA leaders quickly identified the teens as being responsible.
They warned their families that unless each paid ‘compensation’ of £1,000, the kids would have their arms broken.
The cash was quickly handed over, and UDA members rebuilt the bonfire with new pallets in time for the Eleventh night.
The threats have been the talk of the town, with the terror group ordering locals to stay silent over fears the media would find out.
“The wee girls’ families have been told they’ll have to pay another £1,000 fine if they speak out,” a loyalist source told Sunday Life.
“Of course the girls shouldn’t have set fire to the bonfire, but they’re only young kids. It’s sickening that their families have been made to pay money to the UDA to replace the pallets.”
Until recently the North Down UDA had been led by prominent loyalist Dee Stitt, who denies links to criminality.
His replacement, a well-known thug from the Kilcooley estate in Bangor, has been blamed for issuing the threats to break the schoolgirls’ arms.
He took over from Stitt last year and immediately stamped his authority on local criminals by having convicted Bangor cocaine dealer Mark Turner (45) kneecapped for street fighting.
The father-of-five was previously close to the North Down UDA before falling out of favour. The punishment-style shooting was a warning to him not to step out of line.
Our loyalist source added: “At least when Stitt was boss he could be reasoned with. His replacement is far worse. He’s let the power get to his head and is running around like a Poundland Johnny Adair. He’s forever threatening to put people out. If it wasn’t for the UDA backing him up he’d struggle to put the bins out.”
Jamie Bryson, who represents Dee Stitt said: “Mr Stitt has no involvement in any proscribed organisation and/or criminal activity.
“He condemns any criminal activity without reservation. He has no knowledge as to the matters alleged pertaining to a bonfire.”
Details about the terror gang’s threats to break the schoolgirls’ arms came in the same week that PSNI chiefs appealed for information about reported criminality at bonfires.
Assistant Chief Constable Local Policing Bobby Singleton said: “To date we have received a total of 57 separate reports of potential offences at bonfires over July 11 and 12 period. Potential offences include the theft and destruction of political material, flags, hate slogans and effigies.
“We have gathered and secured evidence of potential offending, appointed investigators, commenced inquiries for each of these incidents and engaged with the Public Prosecution Service, which will ultimately have responsibility for decisions in relation to prosecution.
“The vast majority of people celebrate their culture peacefully and lawfully and do not want celebrations to be undermined by anti-social behaviour, criminal activity or hate directed towards others.”
With many thanks to the: Sunday Life and Ciaran Barnes for the original publication.
Follow these links to find out more on this story:
No comments:
Post a Comment