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Press man beaten at UVF funeral | Press man beaten at UVF funeral |
(about 18 hours later) | |
A press photographer has been treated in hospital after being attacked by a gang at the funeral of a UVF killer. | A press photographer has been treated in hospital after being attacked by a gang at the funeral of a UVF killer. |
William Moore, 60, a member of the Shankill Butchers' gang, was found dead in his flat in Mount Vernon on Sunday. | William Moore, 60, a member of the Shankill Butchers' gang, was found dead in his flat in Mount Vernon on Sunday. |
The group of loyalist killers conducted a sectarian reign of terror against Catholics in Belfast between 1976 and 1978, killing at least 10 people. | The group of loyalist killers conducted a sectarian reign of terror against Catholics in Belfast between 1976 and 1978, killing at least 10 people. |
A gang of about six men attacked a photographer covering his funeral on Thursday afternoon. | A gang of about six men attacked a photographer covering his funeral on Thursday afternoon. |
Alan Lewis of the Northern Ireland Press Photographers Association said that he had been told that the man was surrounded and beaten. | Alan Lewis of the Northern Ireland Press Photographers Association said that he had been told that the man was surrounded and beaten. |
He said that the photographer had been using a long lens to get pictures of the funeral and was attacked when he got out of the car. Some camera equipment was also taken. | He said that the photographer had been using a long lens to get pictures of the funeral and was attacked when he got out of the car. Some camera equipment was also taken. |
"I gather it's not life threatening but it was a severe beating he took," Mr Lewis said. | "I gather it's not life threatening but it was a severe beating he took," Mr Lewis said. |
The media had been advised by police to stay away from the funeral. | The media had been advised by police to stay away from the funeral. |
Moore was given 11 life sentences for his role in the gang's murders. | Moore was given 11 life sentences for his role in the gang's murders. |
Led by Lennie Murphy, many of the Shankill Butchers' victims were Catholic men, abducted in a taxi as they walked home from pubs in the city centre. | Led by Lennie Murphy, many of the Shankill Butchers' victims were Catholic men, abducted in a taxi as they walked home from pubs in the city centre. |
The gang got its name from the butchers' knives used to torture and kill its victims whose mutilated bodies were later dumped in loyalist parts of the city. | The gang got its name from the butchers' knives used to torture and kill its victims whose mutilated bodies were later dumped in loyalist parts of the city. |
The police initially failed to link the killings but eventually caught up with the gang, several of whose members had links with the Ulster Volunteer Force. | The police initially failed to link the killings but eventually caught up with the gang, several of whose members had links with the Ulster Volunteer Force. |
Several members of the gang, including Moore, Sam McAllister and Robert "Basher" Bates, were jailed for life in 1979 but Murphy, who was already in prison on a lesser charge, was eventually killed by the IRA in 1982. | |
Moore, a butcher by trade, had supplied knives used by the UVF to mutilate their victims. | Moore, a butcher by trade, had supplied knives used by the UVF to mutilate their victims. |
During his trial the court heard he committed throat cuttings himself, and encouraged the gang to torture victims. | During his trial the court heard he committed throat cuttings himself, and encouraged the gang to torture victims. |
He was released from prison in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement after serving 19 years in prison. | He was released from prison in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreement after serving 19 years in prison. |