Thug convicted of bid to murder child is part of far right ‘save our children’ vigilante group in east Belfast

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/thug-convicted-of-bid-to-murder-child-is-part-of-far-right-save-our-children-vigilante-group-in-east-belfast/a486511336.html

Mark Payne was also found guilty of threatening two teenage girls

Allison Morris
September 10 2025 06:16 AM

A man convicted of the attempted murder of a 14-year-old child is part of a far-right vigilante ‘save our children’ group patrolling Belfast’s streets.

Mark Payne was convicted along with two other men of stabbing the schoolboy, who almost died from his injuries.

He was further convicted of threatening two teenage girls with a knife after they witnessed the unprovoked attack.

Payne is now part of a group of vigilantes, calling themselves East Belfast First Division, who have been ‘patrolling’ the streets. They claim to be protecting women and children from migrants.

In recent days the group has been holding protests outside a fast food outlet in east Belfast, questioning delivery drivers.

Payne was 22 when he served a sentence for the attempted murder of a child. Earlier this week, he was filmed outside Laganside courthouse, shortly after a man had appeared for racially motivated offences.

Payne was pictured alongside convicted loyalist killer Glen Kane being interviewed by convicted armed robber Mark Sinclair, who calls himself ‘Freedom Dad’ and claims to be a citizen journalist.

Kane was part of a mob which beat and kicked to death Catholic man Kieran Abram during a sectarian riot in July 1992.

He was jailed for nine years after pleading guilty to manslaughter, having initially been charged alongside others with murder.

In 2003, Sinclair was sentenced to 18 years in prison by a Scottish court for a number of robberies.

During a three-week trial he claimed he had been planted in Scotland by MI5 to infiltrate the UDA, a claim the court found to be a lie.

Payne, Sinclair and Kane had been in the public gallery of Laganside court where a man had faced race-related charges earlier this week.

Later Payne was filmed standing alongside the other two outside court, and made critical comments about the justice process.

Mark Payne with 'Freedom dad' Mark Sinclair and loyalist Glen Kane
Despite publicly campaigning about protecting children, others have pointed out how, in 2004, Payne, from Callan Way, Belfast, was charged with seven offences linked to the attempted murder of a child. Two other Belfast men appeared alongside him on similar charges.

The court was told that the teenager was seriously injured after he was stabbed numerous times at playing fields in the east of the city, requiring emergency surgery for knife wounds to his stomach, chest and leg.

Payne was also charged with intimidation of two female witnesses, stealing a kitchen knife, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place in connection with a burglary, and entering as a trespasser Grosvenor Rugby Club with the intention of inflicting grievous bodily harm against another man.

He was released from prison in 2008 having served half of an eight year sentence.

Green Party councillor Brian Smyth said he was “increasingly concerned about individuals involved in these racist vigilante protests”.

Mark Payne with 'Freedom dad' Mark Sinclair and loyalist Glen Kane
“Many have serious and significant criminal records, including harm to women and children. “These people are a clear threat to our working class communities and what we are witnessing is nothing but terror being instilled into people whose skin colour isn’t white. They are fascists and highly dangerous.

“This has been allowed to build and go unchecked for months, especially in inner east Belfast. I am furious at the lack of political response from other elected representatives in east Belfast.

“The Justice Minister said last week we all should ‘do more’ – she is the minister and she could start by implementing Judge Marrinan’s Hate Crime Review recommendations from 2020.

“Half hearted statements or silence isn’t acceptable, it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously hurt or worse. At that point, thoughts, prayers and condolences won’t wash with the public.”

Justice Minister Naomi Long said she would implement “the most impactful hate crime provisions from Judge Marrinan’s Review of Hate Crime Legislation in the current mandate”.

“When someone is targeted because of who they are, where they are from, or what they believe, it is completely unacceptable,” she said.

“Racism and sectarianism in Northern Ireland are two sides of the one coin. Racist attitudes and the growing anti-migrant sentiment in Northern Ireland will only be addressed through a partnership approach, and will not be solved by one Department alone.”