Winston Irvine 'unduly lenient' sentence to be appealed
The sentence given to Winston Irvine was unduly lenient and should be extended, according to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS).
Irvine, 49, from Ballysillan Road in north Belfast, was given a two-and-a-half year sentence last month after admitting to firearm and ammunition offences.
The sentence was half the minimum recommended term, with the judge citing "exceptional circumstances".
The PPS said it will now appeal the sentence.
Irvine's sentence – half of which is to be served on licence – was below the minimum sentence of five years and attracted criticism from some politicians.
A spokesperson for the PPS told the BBC's The Nolan Show: "After careful consideration of the sentence handed down in the case of Winston Irvine, including with the benefit of advices from independent Senior Counsel, we have determined that there is a sufficient legal basis to refer the sentence to the Court of Appeal."
The PPS referral has now been lodged with the Court of Appeal.
Irvine is currently serving his sentence on the segregated UVF wing at Maghaberry high security prison.
During sentencing Judge Gordon Kerr KC said despite Irvine's guilty plea, he had declined to give any explanation to the police or the court for having the guns and bullets in the boot of his car.
However, the judge said he did not consider the crimes to be connected to terrorism.
The judge cited Irvine's "character and long-term commitment to peace building in Northern Ireland" among exceptional circumstances relating to the case.
The court was told he had worked at the highest levels of government and had "devoted most of his adult life to peace".
Court documents released to The Nolan Show revealed the extent of the character references provided to the court.
They include letters from Loyalist Communities Council chair David Campbell, former Policing Board member and director of Northern Ireland Alternatives Deborah Watters, Gary Mason a Methodist Minister, as well as Dr Harold Good .
The PPS said it would not be appealing the five year jail term handed to co-accused Robin Workman.
Winston Irvine pleads guilty to firearms offences
Winston Irvine sentence is 'too lenient', says first minister
Winston Irvine to stand trial over gun charges
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Kneecap Glastonbury slot ‘not appropriate', says Starmer
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he does not think Kneecap's planned Glastonbury Festival performance is 'appropriate'. He made the comments after Kneecap member Liam Og O hAnnaidh appeared in court on Wednesday, after being charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah while saying 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah' at a gig in November last year. In an interview with The Sun, Sir Keir was asked if he thought the trio should perform at Glastonbury, to which he replied: 'No, I don't, and I think we need to come down really clearly on this. 'This is about the threats that shouldn't be made, I won't say too much because there's a court case on, but I don't think that's appropriate.' It comes after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said she thought the BBC 'should not be showing' Kneecap's performance at the festival next week. Mrs Badenoch said in the X post, which was accompanied by an article from The Times that claimed the BBC had not banned the group: 'The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. 'One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. 'As a publicly funded platform, the BBC should not be rewarding extremism.' The Tory Leader of the Opposition has previously called for the group to be banned from Glastonbury, and last year Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK Government in Belfast High Court after she tried to refuse them a £14,250 funding award when she was a minister. Kneecap took aim at Mrs Badenoch in their latest single, The Recap, released just before their headline set at London's Wide Awake festival in May, with the song mocking the politician's attempts to block their arts funding and the Conservative Party's election loss. The BBC should not be showing Kneecap propaganda. One Kneecap band member is currently on bail, charged under the Terrorism Act. As a publicly funded platform the BBC should not be rewarding extremism. — Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) June 21, 2025 On Wednesday, O hAnnaidh, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts. During the proceedings, a prosecutor told the court the 27-year-old is 'well within his rights' to voice his opinions on Israel and Palestine, but the alleged incident at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, is a 'wholly different thing'. O hAnnaidh was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20. Following the hearing, the rapper said: 'For anybody going to Glastonbury, you can see us there at 4pm on the Saturday. 'If you can't be there we'll be on the BBC, if anybody watches the BBC. We'll be at Wembley in September. 'But most importantly: free, free Palestine.' The charge came following a counter-terrorism police investigation after the historical gig footage came to light, which also allegedly shows the group calling for the deaths of MPs. In April, Kneecap apologised to the families of murdered MPs but said footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised'. In an initial post in response to the charge, Kneecap said: '14,000 babies are about to die of starvation in Gaza, with food sent by the world sitting on the other side of a wall, and once again the British establishment is focused on us. 'We deny this 'offence' and will vehemently defend ourselves, this is political policing, this is a carnival of distraction. 'We are not the story, genocide is, as they profit from genocide, they use an 'anti-terror law' against us for displaying a flag thrown on stage. A charge not serious enough to even warrant their crown court, instead a court that doesn't have a jury. What's the objective? 'To restrict our ability to travel. To prevent us speaking to young people across the world. To silence voices of compassion. To prosecute artists who dare speak out. 'Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries. Then, like now, they claim justification. 'The IDF units they arm and fly spy plane missions for are the real terrorists, the whole world can see it.' Formed in 2017, the group are known for their provocative lyrics in both Irish and English and their merchandise. Their best-known tracks include Get Your Brits Out, Better Way To Live, featuring Grian Chatten from Fontaines DC, and 3Cag. A BBC spokesperson said: 'As the broadcast partner, the BBC will be bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. 'Whilst the BBC doesn't ban artists, our plans will ensure that our programming will meet our editorial guidelines. Decisions about our output will be made in the lead-up to the festival.'
Associated Press
10 hours ago
- Associated Press
Attack on Belfast Islamic center during evening prayers investigated as hate crime
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] LONDON (AP) — A 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of a terror offense in Northern Ireland for allegedly tossing a suspicious device into the Belfast Islamic Center during evening prayers, police said Saturday. No one was injured in the Friday attack but Assistant Chief Constable Anthony McNally of the Police Service of Northern Ireland said ammunition officers determined the object was capable of causing harm. He didn't specify what kind of device it was. McNally said detectives were looking into whether it was a hate crime. No one else was believed to be involved in the attack. 'It is important to stress that, while the suspect has been arrested under the Terrorism Act, the motive for the attack has not yet been established,' McNally said. Police provided no other information about the suspect but said he was in custody. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn called it a 'shameful attack' and local politicians condemned it as cowardly. 'Hatred of this sort has no place in Northern Ireland,' Benn said.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Motorcyclist dies in County Armagh crash
A 25-year-old motorcyclist has died after a two vehicle crash in Tandragee on Thursday. Police were called to a collision involving the motorcycle and a Renault Scenic car at Mullahead Road shortly after 08:10 BST. Emergency services attended the incident, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Road closures were in place for some time but the Mullahead Road has since reopened, while a closure remains in place at Ballymore Road. Police have appealed to anyone who was in the area at the time and has dash cam or mobile phone footage to get in touch.
