Former Mount Vernon UVF leader Mark Haddock released from police custody pending report to PPS

FORMER Mount Vernon UVF commander Mark Haddock is to be reported to the Public Prosecution Service.

The 45-year-old was arrested in southern England yesterday as part of an investigation into three sectarian murders in Belfast in 1994.

The murders under investigation are those of Gary Convie and Eamon Fox in May 1994 and Sean McParland in February the same year.

Mr McParland, 55, was shot in Skegoniel Avenue in north Belfast on 17 February while babysitting.

He died a week later.

Gary Convie (24) and Eamon Fox (44) were sitting in their car at a building site in North Queen Street on 17 May 1994 when a gunman opened fire with a submachine gun.

Haddock has been returned to prison custody in England where he is currently on remand on other charges.

His arrest follows statements by former UVF south Antrim brigadier Gary Haggarty to the PSNI’s Operation Stafford team which is investigating unsolved loyalist murders in north Belfast.

Haggarty, a father-of-three, of Rushpark, Co Antrim, is currently in a witness protection scheme.