Ex-boxer charged with murder and UDA membership

An ex-boxer appeared in court today charged with the murder of a man gunned down during a party in Co Down at the weekend.

An ex-boxer appeared in court today charged with the murder of a man gunned down during a party in Co Down at the weekend.

Mr William Moore, also known as "Billy the Boxer", was also charged with membership of the loyalist Ulster Defence Association (UDA).

The unemployed 34-year-old appeared at Bangor Magistrates' Court charged with murdering Mr Richard Hamill (28) who was shot dead in the toilets of a house in the seaside town early on Sunday morning.

Mr Hamill, a single man from Bangor, died from two gunshot wounds to the head.

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The day after the murder police took the unusual step of publicly naming Mr Moore, of Rathgill Court, Bangor, as their prime suspect.

Yesterday Mr Moore went voluntarily to a police station to be interviewed and was charged with the murder early today.

He was also charged with membership of the UDA between January 1st 1995 and January 21st this year.

A detective inspector told the court that Mr Moore made no reply when he charged him but he believed he could connect the accused to the charges.

Mr Moore was remanded in custody until February 14.

Police have stressed that the charge of murder and membership of the UDA are totally unrelated and that the killing was not linked to the feud between rival elements of the paramilitary group which recently claimed the lives of two men and led to the return to prison of paramilitary chief Johnny "Mad Dog" Adair.

PA