The views of the Butcher trial judge, Turlough O’Donnell, will carry considerable weight when the Life Sentence Committee reviews those cases, as it must. Some of the gang will be due for release within the coming decade. Already, McIlwaine, the former member of the UDR who was involved in the McLaverty assault and abduction, has been released from prison. I was told that on his release his marriage collapsed, he was unemployed and was drinking heavily. A short time before his arrest in 1977 he was dismissed from the Ulster Defence Regiment. Nationalist politicians later exploited his membership of the UDR to make further demands for the disbandment of the Regiment. I feel there are aspects of this which need to be clarified. McIlwaine attended weekly meetings of the Windsor Bar unit of the UDR at Dunmore Park in Belfast for a few months after he joined in 1974. In subsequent years his attendance was erratic. Taking this into account, one is obliged to ask why he was not dismissed until a short time before his arrest. I believe that once the RUC began searching for him after they obtained Moore’s statements they informed the military authorities that a member of the UDR was on a wanted list.
The RUC deny this and yet all the evidence points to the fact that McIlwaine was permitted his membership for years and nothing was done about his attendance until a period when he was being sought by the police in relation to serious crime. The Regiment should not have had McIlwaine in its ranks. Here we have a man associated with the Butcher murders and with known members of a terrorist organization. Like Fletcher, the UDR sergeant whose gun was used to kill McQuaid, McIlwaine spent much of his time in terrorist haunts. He was a part-time soldier with access to weapons, ammunition and possibly files containing information on people in the other community who were suspected of involvement, or sympathetic involvement, with the IRA. The McIlwaine and Fletcher cases illustrate the need for careful vetting within the UDR and regular security checks on its members.
There were several other people dealt with by the Court whom I have previously mentioned: John Alexander Murphy and Potts were each given two years’ imprisonment for the attack on Underwood. Noel Large was found guilty of being implicated in five murders and was given life. For their involvement in the Donegan killing, William Mahood was given a three-year suspended sentence for impeding the arrest of others and ‘Wingnut’ Cowan was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to fifteen years.
I do not suppose that the murder of Lenny Murphy and the complex nature of it will be unravelled, because his killing, as one journalist commented, was like the plot for a Frederick Forsyth novel. One of the words used to describe Murphy is ‘psychopath’. Strictly, the word refers to a pattern of behaviour – for example a weak conscience, an inability to profit from experience or to form warm relationships – rather than to the cause of the behaviour. The questions of diagnosable mental illness is clearly related to criminal responsibility. Strong medical evidence could lead a court to determine a defendant ‘unfit to plead’, in which case he is committed to a secure mental institution. At the end of a normal trial, where the defendant is assumed to have criminal responsibility, it is still possible for the defendant, after proper medical evidence, to be committed to a mental hospital rather than a prison. This was something Judge O’Donnell must have considered when he was presented with the Butcher crimes but, as it turned out, the defendants were declared by a psychiatrist to be sane and not suffering from a diagnosable mental illness. I suspect the same analysis would have applied to Murphy had he ever been so tested.
Informed criminological opinion regards psychopathy as a behaviour syndrome with multiple and interacting causes. Part of the cause is social, e.g. the cultural climate in which the psychopathic behaviour is manifested; part may indicate deep underlying causes dating back to childhood. The critical question concerns whether the social climate is sufficient cause or whether it is merely a precipitating cause, i.e. the context in which a pre-existent condition manifests itself. That represents the difference between the offender in Northern Ireland who, had it not been for the terrorist war, would have stayed out of trouble, and offenders who were on a collision course anyway and would have offended even had there been no civil unrest. Murphy, I believe, and some of the other gang members too, would fit perfectly into the latter definition.
Much of this book was devoted to the victims but, as Nesbitt often reminded me, the victims with whom he had to deal were the living. I will understand if the friends and relatives of those killed do not read this book because they are still living with the tragedy but I think other people should know about the brutality, if only to know what it is and understand why it is expressed. This book should not be seen as, nor should it be used for, condemnation of the Protestant population of Northern Ireland. Unfortunately there are those within Ireland who seek to justify their own actions, legitimize violence or condemn a whole community because of the actions of some within that community. If this book had been an examination of the IRA I would similarly have made the point that the Catholic population cannot be held responsible for the actions of those within its midst. This book is an attempt to understand how and why terrible crimes have been committed and not an exercise in apportioning blame or expressing support for any of the protagonists in the conflict.
Index
The page references in this index correspond to the printed edition from which this ebook was created. To find a specific word or phrase from the index, please use the search feature of your ebook reader.k
‘Mr A’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX), (XXI), (XXII), (XXIIi), (XXIV), (XXV), (XXVI), (XXVII), (XXVIII), (XXIX), (XXX), (XXXI), (XXXII), (XXXIII), (XXXIV), (XXXV), (XXXVI), (XXXVII), (XXXVIII), (XXXIX), (XL), (XLI), (XLII), (XLIII), (XLIV), (XLV)
Adams, Gerry (I)
Agnew, Sidney (I)
Andrew, Victor (I)
Arthurs, Francis (I)
‘Mr B’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI)
Balmer, Dessie (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V)
Bates, Robert ‘Basher’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX), (XXI), (XXII), (XXIII), (XXIV), (XXV), (XXVI), (XXVII), (XXVIII), (XXIX), (XXX), (XXXI), (XXXII), (XXXIII)
Bell, Edward (I), (II)
Bell, David John (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X)
Bennett, Joe (I)
Berry, Anthony ‘Chuck’ (I), (II), (III)
Bingham, John (I)
Bloody Sunday (I)
Brookeborough, Lord (I)
Brown Bear Pub and Unit (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX)
‘Mr C’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V)
Casey’s Wholesale Wine & Spirits Business (I), (II)
Cassidy, Francis (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Chlorane Bar (I), (II).(III)
Combat Magazine (I), (II)
Connor, Mervyn John (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII)
Cowan, William ‘Wingnut’ (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Craig, James Pratt (I), (II), (III)
Crossan, Francis (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V)
‘Mr D’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V)
Donegan, Joseph (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V)
Donnelly, Edward (I)
Donnelly, Frances (I)
Donnelly, John Paul (I)
‘Mr E’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI)
Easton, Thomas (I)
Edwards, Benjamin ‘Pretty Boy’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII)
‘Mr F’ (I)
Faul, Father Denis (I), (II)
Faulkner, Brian (I), (II), (III)
Fitt, Jeny (I)
Fletcher, John McFarland (I), (II)
‘Mr G’ (I), (II), (III)
Green, Thomas Noel (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Green, William Arlow (I), (II), (III
), (IV), (V), (VI)
Grogan, Gerard (I), (II)
‘Mr H’ (I), (II)
Heath, Edward (I), (II)
Hughes, Brendan (I)
Hume, John (I)
‘Mr I’ (I), (II)
INLA (Irish National Liberation Army) (I)
IRA (Irish Republican Army) (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XVIX), (XXX), (XXXI), (XXXII), (XXXIII), (XXXIV), (XXXV), (XXXVI), (XXVII), (XXXVIII), (XXXIX), (XL), (XLI), (XLII), (XLIII), (XLIV), (XLV), (XLVI), (XLVII), (XLVIII), (XLIV), (XLV)
‘Mr J’ (I)
‘Mr K’ (I), (II), (III)
‘Mr L’ (I), (II)
Large, Noel (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI)
Lawnbrook Social Club (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII)
Leckey, Edward (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V)
Long Bar, Shankill Road (I), (II), (III)
Lyons, Dr Alex (I)
‘Mr M’ (I), (II), (III)
McAllister, Samuel (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX), (XXI), (XXII), (XXIII), (XXIV), (XXV), (XXVI), (XXVII), (XXVIII)
McCann, Stephen (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI)
McCartney, Margaret (I)
McClay, Arthur Armstrong (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI)
McCrea, Roger (I), (II)
McGrattan, Marie (I), (II)
McIllwaine, Edward (I), (II)
McKeague, John (I)
McKittrick, David (Irish Times Editor) (I), (II), (III)
McLaverty, Gerard (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII)
McMichael, John (I), (II)
McQuaid, Deirdre (I), (II), (III)
McQuaid, Ted (I), (II)
Madden, Thomas (I)
Mahood, William (I), (II)
Marchant, William ‘Frenchie’ (I), (II)
Mason, Roy (I)
Matthews, William (I)
Maxwell, Norman Alexander (I)
Moore, William (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX), (XXI), (XXII), (XXIII), (XXIV), (XXV), (XXVI), (XXVII), (XXVIII), (XXIX), (XXX), (XXXI), (XXXII), (XXXIII), (XXXIV), (XXXV), (XXXVI), (XXXVII), (XXXVIII), (XXXIX), (XL), (XLI), (XLII), (XLIII), (XLIV), (XLV), (XLVI), (XLVII), (XLVIII), (XLIX), (L), (LI), (LII), (LIII), (LIV), (LV), (LVI), (LVII), (LVIII), (LIX), (LX), (LXI), (LXII)
Moorehead, James Curtis Banks (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Morrissey, Joseph (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Mullen, Major (I), (II), (III)
Murphy, John Alexander (I), (II)
Murphy, Lenny (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX), (XXI), (XXII), (XXIII), (XXIV), (XXV), (XXVI), (XXVII), (XXVIII), (XXIX), (XXX), (XXXI), (XXXII), (XXXIII), (XXXIV), (XXXV), (XXXVI), (XXXVII), (XXXVIII), (XXXIX), (XL), (XLI), (XLII), (XLIII), (XLIV), (XLV), (XLVI), (XLVII), (XLVIII), (XLIX), (L), (LI), (LII) (LIII), (LIV), (LV), (LVI), (LVII), (LVIII), (LVIX), (LX), (LXI), (LXII), (LXIII), (LXIV), (LXV), (LXVI), (LXVII), (LXVIII), (LXIX), (LXX), (LXXI), (LXXII), (LXIII), (LXIV), (LXV), (LXVI), (LXVII), (LXVIII), (LXXIX), (LXXX), (LXXXI), (LXXXII), (LXXXIII), (LXXXIX), (LXXXX), (LXXXXI), (LXXXII), (LXXXXIII), (LXXXXIV)
Murphy, Margaret Gillespie (I), (II)
Murray, Mary (I), (II), (III)
‘Mr N’ (I)
Neeson, Cornelius (I), (II)
Nesbitt, Jimmy, Detective Inspector (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX), (XXI), (XXII), (XXIII), (XXIV), (XXV)
Osborne, Thomas (I), (II)
Paisley, Reverend Ian Kyle (I), (II)
Pavis, William Edward (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Potts, James (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Quinn, Thomas Joseph (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI)
Rees, Merlyn (I), (II), (III)
Rice, Francis Dominic (I)
Robinson, Stewart (I), (II), (III), (IV)
RUC (Royal Ulster Constabulary) (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII)
Shankill Taxi Association (I)
Shaw, Noel (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Smyth, Brian (I)
Spence, Agustus ‘Guscy’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX)
Stewart, Roy (I), (II), (III), (IV)
Stormont (I), (II), (III)
Townsley, William John (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X)
UDA (Ulster Defence Association) (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX)
UDR (Ulster Defence Regiment) (I), (II)
Underwood, Harold (I), (II), (II)
UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII), (XIII), (XIV), (XV), (XVI), (XVII), (XVIII), (XIX), (XX), (XXI), (XXII), (XXIII), (XXIV), (XXV), (XXVI), (XXVII), (XXVIII), (XXIX), (XXX), (XXXI), (XXXII), (XXXIII), (XXXIV), (XXXV), (XXXVI), (XXXVII), (XXXVIII), (XXXIX), (XL), (XLI), (XLII), (XLIII), (XLIV), (XLV)
Waller, Archie (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI)
Watt, James ‘Tonto’ (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V)
Waugh, Norman (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI), (XII)
Windsor Bar and Unit (I), (II), (III), (IV), (V), (VI), (VII), (VIII), (IX), (X), (XI)
Yorkshire Ripper (I), (II)
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Epub ISBN: 9781409065227
Version 1.0
First published by Arrow Books 1990
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Copyright © Martin Dillon 1989
Martin Dillon has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988, to be identified as the author of this work.
First published in Great Britain in 1989 by Century
Arrow Books
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www.penguin.co.uk
Arrow Books is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 9780099738107
The Shankill Butchers Page 36