Ervine defends jailed sectarian killer's transfer

The Progressive Unionist Party (PUP) has defended the agreed transfer of sectarian killer Jason Campbell from Scotland to the UVF wing in the Maze prison in Northern Ireland. Mr David Ervine, chief spokesman for the PUP, the political wing of the UVF, said the UVF had made a demand to the British government seeking the transfer of Campbell and other prisoners serving sentences in Britain. The demand followed loyalist concerns that the British government was treating the IRA ceasefire "more valuably" than the loyalist cessation, and because of a request from Campbell's family.

"It suited the UVF to test the government with relation to their ceasefire," Mr Ervine told BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme yesterday.

Campbell was sentenced to life in prison two years ago for the murder of 16-year-old Mark Scott in Glasgow. He cut Scott's throat as he was walking down a busy street because the youth was wearing a Glasgow Celtic shirt.

The decision to transfer Campbell has prompted a wave of political and public protest in Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Nationalist Party last night called on the Scottish Secretary, Mr Donald Dewar, to halt Campbell's transfer.

Ms Roseanna Cunningham, the party's spokesperson on justice and equality, said: "It is my understanding that Donald Dewar, as Secretary of State for Scotland, has the power to call a halt to this transfer and it is my belief that he should use that power.

"Scottish Office ministers have a duty to the people of Scotland to ensure that such senseless crimes of sectarian violence committed in Scotland are seen as just that and are not portrayed as being part of some wider political picture."

The move has yet to take place but seems assured since under current rules Campbell is entitled to a temporary transfer.

Mr Ervine said the murder was a "brutal sectarian crime" which could not be defended. The UVF, however, saw his transfer as a confidence-building measure. He said Campbell's father and uncle had served prison sentences in Scotland for UVF explosives offences. The PUP had "been encouraged by the UVF foot-soldiers to recognise Jason Campbell as a victim" of the Northern conflict.

He said Campbell's family was initially behind the request for a transfer. Mr Ervine suggested that if Campbell were to serve his sentence in Scotland, he could never escape from his sectarian, violent past. But by serving with UVF inmates he could hope to emerge as a "changed" man.

"UVF life-sentence prisoners who trickle out of the Maze are productive within their community, are held in reasonable respect within their community, and do sterling work within their community. They are changed people," he said.

"Jason Campbell is coming to Northern Ireland to be put among people who would not be tolerant of the attitude that Jason Campbell had," added Mr Ervine. "His family recognise that there is a greater opportunity for Jason Campbell to live a different life, to learn a different way, than there is in Glasgow."