Mark Haddock
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Mark Haddock (born Belfast, Northern Ireland, 1968) is a Loyalist paramilitary leader in Northern Ireland, and British Special Branch informer, who has been named by various sources in connection with more than 21 murders. He is a member of the Ulster Volunteer Force, and was that organisation's north Belfast commander before his arrest by police in 2005.
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[edit] Personal background
Mark Haddock was born and raised in the Mount Vernon estate, a working-class housing development in north Belfast dominated by the influence of the UVF. He was educated at Lowwood Primary School (1973-1980), and Dunlambert Secondary School for Boys (1980-1985).
[edit] Named under Parliamentary Privilege
In Octover 2005, the Irish Labour TD Pat Rabbitte, using Dail privilege, named Haddock as a British Special Branch agent and a serial killer whose victims include: Sharon McKenna in 1993, Catholic builders Gary Convie and Eamon Fox in 1994, the alleged informer Thomas Sheppard in 1996, Protestant clergyman Rev David J. Templeton in 1997, Billy Harbinson in 1997, Raymond McCord jnr in 1997, former UDA commander Tommy English 2000, and David Greer in 2000.
[edit] Attempted assassination
On Tuesday 30 May, 2006, Haddock was shot between five and eight times while travelling in the Newtownabbey area of north Belfast. At the time of the attack, he was on bail on a charge of the attempted murder of the doorman Trevor Gowdy at a social club in Monkstown in December 2002. Haddock survived the attack. Ronald Trevor Bowe, 29, from Mount Vernon Gardens, Belfast, was subsequently arrested for Haddock's attempted murder and remains in custody awaiting trial.
[edit] Current situation
On Friday, 29 September, 2006, Haddock was cleared of Gowdy's attempted murder and found guilt of false imprisonment and "grievous bodily harm with intent". He remains in custody and is to be sentenced at a later date.
