SF Condolences Follow UVF Leader's Death

Those most opposed to the aims of a loyalist paramilitary leader have offered condolences after the death of Gusty Spence at the weekend.

The 78-year-old died in hospital at the weekend after a long illness.

Sinn Fein MLA Gerry Kelly said: "Gusty Spence was a well known and influential figure with the UVF and many nationalists will remember him as central to the sectarianism that gave birth to the modern loyalist paramilitary.

"However he did dedicate himself to peace and reconciliation for much of his later life so he will also be remembered as a major influence in drawing loyalism away from sectarian strife.

"Gusty Spence played a key role in bringing the UVF and Red Hand Commando into the peace process and announcing their ceasefires in 1994.

"This valuable contribution allowed the peace process to develop further.

"On behalf of Sinn Fein I would wish to extend my condolences," the republican concluded.

It also emerged today that Augustus Andrew (Gusty) Spence's family is planning a funeral with the emphasis on his British army past rather than his time in the paramilitary group.

In keeping with his wishes, there will be no UVF trappings and his coffin will be draped in the regimental flag of the Royal Ulster Rifles (RUR) in which he served.

He joined the Army in 1957 and later served as a military police sergeant and served in the army until 1961 when ill-health forced him to leave.

He will be buried in Bangor after a funeral service on the Shankill Road.

Mr Spence, set up the modern Ulster Volunteer Force, (UVF) an organisation that was responsible for hundreds of sectarian murders during the Troubles.

He was jailed for life for the murder of a Catholic barman in 1966 and served 18 years in prison, but later became involved in politics and announced the landmark loyalist paramilitary ceasefires in 1994.

In 2007, he announced that the UVF and an associated group, the Red Hand Commando, would cease to exist in their previous form - and has been hailed a peacemaker - even though the UVF is widely believed to have continued to be heavily involved in crime and even murders.

(BMcC/GK)