UVF chief Winston ‘Winkie’ Irvine has been arrested after being caught with a “significant bite” of weapons and ammunition.
He, 46, was arrested after police found a pistol, a compressed air pistol and more than 200 bullets of various types of bullets in a bag in the trunk of his car on Wednesday morning.
A detective inspector told the Belfast Court of First Instance yesterday that numerous UVF memorabilia and £ 3,000 in cash were also found in a search of his home.
The officer added that Irvine was seen by officers talking to the driver of a Volkswagen van on Glencairn Street in the Woodvale area of North Belfast.
Irvine was seen opening the trunk of his car while the driver of the van opened his side and pulled out an item.
Irvine was then seen closing the trunk of his car before driving to Disraeli Street off Shankill Road, where he was stopped by uniformed officers.
Officers asked him if there was anything in his car that he could not explain. He pointed to an orange Sainsbury’s bag in his suitcase, but said he didn’t know what was there.
Inside the bag was a single 8mm blank shot pistol, a ME38 .22 Brocock revolver pistol, 203 9×19 mm ammunition cartridges, two 7.65 x 17 mm cartridges, two .243 Winchester cartridges and a single round of 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition.
Nine magazines were also found, including one used for the SA80 assault rifle issued to the Armed Forces.
Irvine was arrested under the Terrorism Act and taken to the Musgrave Street police station, where he was interviewed five times.
The officer told the court he initially made no comment, but when he was interviewed for the fourth time, he said the guns “had nothing to do with him.”
In the fifth interview, he handed the agents a prepared statement, but declined to answer any questions about its contents.
Irvine was then charged with possession of a firearm and ammunition under suspicious circumstances, possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of a gun without a certificate, and possession of ammunition without a certificate.
The officer told the court that the 8mm pistol had changed its barrel to allow him to fire live rounds.
He also said a mixed DNA profile had been recovered from the handles of the bag containing remnants of Irvine DNA.
When Irvine’s house was searched in the Ballysillan area of North Belfast, a UVF plaque of “fallen volunteers” was found next to the family photographs.
Numerous UVF “B” company pins were also discovered along with a large UVF pendant in a night drawer.
Memorial badges were also found to UVF commander Trevor King and UVF member Brian Robinson, both shot dead during Troubles, along with a balaclava.
Opposing the release of Irvine on bail, the officer said the recovered ammunition was compatible with a number of weapons that had not yet been found and had “all the hallmarks of a paramilitary operation.” .
He said that if released, Irvine could try to move the weapons and interfere with other people involved in the storage of the weapons.
The official added that his release could also increase tensions in the community and pose a risk to public safety.
Applying for bail, Irvine’s lawyer said he was a “high-profile person” with contacts in the UK and Irish governments along with senior PSNI officials.
He said Irvine was a “recognized peace builder” who had worked in the industry for 20 years and was due to graduate yesterday from Maynooth University with a degree in international peacebuilding and development.
The lawyer told the court that during riots at the Lanark Way interface in Belfast last year, Irvine and representatives of the nationalist side of the community worked to calm tensions at the request of police.
He said there was nothing to suggest that Irvine had the weapons for “nefarious purposes” or any knowledge of what was in the bag, and that she would fight the charges at trial with a “galaxy” of defense witnesses. .
The lawyer also noted that the most recent entry into Irvine’s criminal record was for being an unaccompanied L driver since 2009.
He said Irvine was a married man with four children and that members of his family were willing to post a £ 10,000 cash bail to secure his release on bail.
However, District Judge George Conner said a “significant gunshot” had been recovered and he believed there was a risk of offense and interference with witnesses.
He denied the defendant’s bail and remanded him in custody, postponing the case until July 1.