Concerns raised last month after prominent loyalist handed ‘lenient’ sentence over guns haul
By Connla Young, Crime and Security Correspondent
June 05, 2025 at 7:32pm BST
Convicted UVF commander Winston ‘Winkie’ Irvine is reported to have been expelled from the loyalist paramilitary group.
Last month the Shankill-based loyalist was jailed for 15 months after he was caught with a haul of weapons in the boot of his car.
His co-accused Robin Workman was given the minimum custodial sentence of five years.
Neither was charged under terrorism legislation and politicians on all side criticised the sentence handed down to Irvine.
On Thursday a senior police officer told the Policing Board that the controversy has impacted on confidence in the criminal justice system.
PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton also told the board that: “As the face, the front end of that, it has also impacted on policing.”
The Public Prosecution Service has since said there was “insufficient evidence” to support charges under terrorism legislation.
The loyalist duo were arrested in June 2022 after Irvine’s car was stopped by police in the Shankill Road area of Belfast.
A long-barrelled gun, two suspected pistols, several magazines and a large quantity of bullets were discovered inside a bag in the boot of the alleged UVF man’s car.
During their recent trial the court heard the haul was initially transported by Workman before being transferred to Irvine’s vehicle.
It was noted by the trial judge that UVF paraphernalia was found in the homes of both defendants, but he said (he) did not consider there was a terrorist link to the weapons seized.
Judge Gordon Kerr KC added there were “exceptional circumstances” in Irvine’s case, namely his “work for peace and his charity work in the community”.
The court had earlier heard that Irvine made no comment to police but provided a prepared statement outlining his reputation as a “trusted interlocutor” during the peace process.
However in a blog on Thursday Dr Aaron Edwards, a leading authority on loyalism, said he understood Irvine is currently being held in Maghaberry’s segregated Bush House, a loyalist wing of the top security prison.
He also said that Irvine, who was reportedly commander of the UVF’s ‘B Company’, had been expelled by the loyalist paramilitary group after a “court-martial in absentia”.
The academic said that a meeting involving members of the UVF’s 1st Belfast Battalion was held in the Shankill area on Wednesday night.
According to Dr Edwards it is understood representatives of the ‘battalion’ companies attended the meeting with members of the organisation’s ‘brigade staff’ also in attendance.
Dr Edwards, author of ‘UVF: Behind the Mask’, said allegations made against Irvine ranged from the theft of large amounts of cash from the UVF, drug dealing and “other illicit activity”.
He said it was his understanding that “Irvine’s expulsion is also tied to deep suspicions within the UVF that he has been working as an informer or agent of influence for the authorities”.
He has also been accused of using the UVF’s name to “intimidate and threaten people on a personal level”.
“The expulsion of Irvine by the UVF is a significant move,” Dr Edwards wrote.
“It demonstrates clearly the enormous pressure the group has been under internally from its own rank-and-file to deal with the allegations swirling around since Irvine’s initial arrest in June 2022.
“It also comes in the wake of huge external pressure by the media and the public on loyalist paramilitaries, to say nothing of those who have worked with them in the business of ‘conflict transformation’.”
by pickneyboy3000
21 comments
And yet the PPS could find insufficient evidence of Winkie to prosecute him under terrorist offences despite the guns, his role in a hoax bomb alert at a peace event in Ardoyne, finding UVF memorabilia including a balaclava in his home, his well known role as B Company commander collecting thousands in dues (like the fucking scouts or BB), him pictured at a show of strength on the Newtownards Rd last year for the UVF where the police were strutting about with body cams.
A clear agent of the state who’s usefulness has now expired.
Loyalist touts nothing new..
Yet there was plenty to charge kneecap. Ffs it’s pathetic, either Britain or the Republic-need to go and take over. Northern Ireland cannot run itself.
His mummy is gonna be raging, now she has to find a new paramilitary group for him.
Wtf are “suspected pistols”?
They’re either pistols or they’re not.
You’d think the cops would be able to identify a fucking gun.
I wonder if Robin Workman ever actually mugged a man employed to do manual labour
Winkie works with the sneaky branch in the PSNI, that’s how he got that sentence 🤫
>Dr Edwards, author of ‘UVF: Behind the Mask’, said allegations made against Irvine ranged from the theft of large amounts of cash from the UVF, drug dealing and “other illicit activity”.
UVF leadership upon discovering high ranking members are involved in drug dealing
Does being expelled from an illegal organisation get you out of trouble for being a member or into more trouble?
I mean in a general sense. Not specifically this state asset
Sullying their good name, was he?
Fake news, a judge last week stated he wasn’t a terrorist.
This is exactly why NI is broken absolutely. In the face of overwhelming evidence one of NIs most upstanding and well known Loyalist terrorist carrying out Loyalist terrorist activities surrounded by the trappings of Loyalist terrorsim cannot be prosecuted as a Loyalist terrorist. If there is no justice there can be no law and order and without that NI is a failed state.
In the absence of judicial review the corruption of the legal system and NI establishment is on full display here.
Terrorist expelled from Terrorist Group. Fixed that for you.
A leader of the UVF.
A banned paramilitary organisation.
Found with guns in his car.
No link to terrorism.
FUCK THE PSNI & THE PPS
Awww.. but he was my favourite!
Uh oh, Winkie Touty too many times, now the big boys say he can’t be in their sectarian murder gang no more
Seriously, legal service here is fucked, completely geared towards protecting British state agents.
Expelled tends to also mean “marked for death”
His only crime was loyalty…. Loyalty to the PSNI & MI5
Even they think he is a tout
“Expelled” for being a tout? Sure there wouldn’t be anyone in loyalist groups if they kicked out all the touts.
If he’s expelled from the UVF, then you’d have to wonder what will happen to him in jail.
Guy gets 15 months for guns while his mate gets 5 years
Could he be a grass?
🤔
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