A criminal convicted of filming police vehicles for terrorist purposes is a close associate of an infamous loyalist sectarian killer.
The links between Sam McCaughey, who comes from a prominent republican family in the Kilwilkie estate in Lurgan, and ex-UDR member Stevie ‘Fatson’ Watson, who was jailed for beating a Catholic to death in the town, can now be revealed.
The unlikely pair have been pictured socialising together despite their polar opposite backgrounds.
Locals said the friendship was forged through the notorious crime group ‘The Firm’ for which Watson (62), who has a hardman reputation despite his advancing years, is accused of acting as an enforcer.
Police believe McCaughey to be a leading member of the gang, which has terrorised north Armagh for several years and has been linked to several murders.
McCaughey leaving court
The 33-year-old was previously named in court as a “senior member of an organised crime group”, understood to be The Firm, which appears “quite ready to use violence to settle disputes”.
This was after he was charged in 2020 with conspiring to murder and conspiring to possess and supply cocaine, firearms, ammunition and Semtex.
He denies the charges, which are linked to the Encrochat phone network hack, and is set to go on trial next year before a non-jury Diplock court.
Police suspect McCaughey was attempting to procure weapons for the New IRA in return for it turning a blind eye to his alleged drug dealing in nationalist areas of north Armagh.
His guilty pleas at Belfast Crown Court last Monday to separate terrorism offences are believed to be connected to this alleged relationship.
McCaughey admitted recording details of police vehicles parked within Lurgan PSNI station on his mobile phone on May 27, 2020.
He further confessed to publishing information about two people “who are, or have been, members of His Majesty’s Forces” — namely, vehicle details of two individuals who are members of the PSNI — which was likely to be useful to a terrorist.
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McCaughey’s barrister said both charges related to recordings which his client made on his mobile phone in the carpark area of Lurgan police station in an incident which was captured on CCTV.
After entering the guilty pleas, he was freed on bail ahead of sentencing on November 8.
The admissions by McCaughey caused unrest among both republican and loyalist paramilitaries in Lurgan, unhappy at the relationship between him and sectarian killer Watson.
“The only reason why Sam McCaughey is still in Kilwilkie is because he comes from a well-respected republican family,” a local told Sunday Life.
“He was close to members of the New IRA even though they knew he was hanging about with Stevie Watson, an ex-UDR member who killed a Catholic from the estate.
“Sam was running with the hare and hunting with the hounds, and because of that no one trusts him now.”
McCaughey is back living in Kilwilkie having told friends he has put his life of crime behind him.
His recent terrorism convictions take his criminal record to more than 40 offences.
“Sam’s driving an old banger of a car and definitely isn’t living the life of major criminal,” added our source.
“He’s got the drug dealing and Semtex trial coming up, and it has to be weighing on his mind because if he’s convicted of that, he’s going to jail for years upon years.”
McCaughey’s pal Stevie ‘Fatson’ Watson was jailed for seven years for his role in the 1983 sectarian killing of Catholic civilian John McConville, who was from the Kilwilkie estate.
The innocent 22-year-old was beaten to death with a motorcycle helmet in an attack a judge said was motivated by sectarian bigotry.
Caged alongside Watson for manslaughter was ‘Mad’ Mick Orr, another ex-UDR member, who was handed 10 years, and Colin Doak, who was given five years.
by heresmewhaa
12 comments
The love of money is the root of all evil.
And this is a good news story?
I smell a sitcom!
edit- ah yes the firm, the retirement home for wash out loyalists and republicans to pretend they’re gangsters again, genuinely the most pathetic group out of all our local dickheads.
A pair of lovable rascals
The fact this is even newsworthy makes me sad to live here.
It’s almost as if the people using politics to be bastards was just an excuse, who would have thought it. I was convinced all these terrorists where ideological heroes fighting for their cause, turns out it’s what most of us knew anyhow, they where mostly just violent things hiding behind a cause
Republican Loyalists links – Cocaine has left the chat.
Is this what they mean when they say ‘let’s make this place work’?
Is Stevie ‘Fatson’ the father of stevie Watson, on trial for malcolm mckeown murder?
Not quite the peace the people want
It’s *almost* as if they don’t really care about religion
https://preview.redd.it/9g7zn2haqqrd1.jpeg?width=427&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9e4c1dc8d4a7ceffa4358d1077a6dc7db621e5e5
I think it’s beautiful.