27.10.04
Belfast Telegraph
Loyalist jailed for threat to kill policeman
Adair ally boasted of his links to 'C' Company
By Maureen Coleman
mcoleman@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
27 October 2004
A leading loyalist who was an ally of former UDA boss Johnny Adair has received a three month jail sentence for threatening to kill a police officer during a hospital fracas.
Thomas Potts, (36), of Dover Street in the Lower Shankill, will serve the jail term alongside a sentence previously imposed for blackmail.
Potts denied the threat to kill charge, telling a Belfast court it was a "complete fabrication".
The court was told that earlier in the day that the threat was made, Potts had acted as "peace-maker".
However, he later became aggressive and threatened to kill a police officer, boasting of his links with 'C' Company.
Giving evidence before the court, a police constable said that on the morning of September 8, 2001, police were called to a house where there was a disturbance.
A man in a distressed state had climbed onto the roof. Potts, a well-known community worker in the area, was called to the scene to intervene.
The police were asked to pull back, while Potts managed to coax the man down from the roof.
The man was then arrested and brought to the Mater Hospital where he was cautioned for a number of offences.
The police constable said that Potts then arrived on the scene, swearing and shouting.
He described Potts' behaviour at the time as "aggresive".
Under cross-examination, the police constable denied claims by Potts' solicitor that the statements given by himself and two other officers had been fabricated.
In his testimony, Potts admitted he was in an "agitated" state when he got to the hospital because he had been told that the man arrested earlier had been assaulted by police.
But he denied that he was aggressive and that he threatened to kill an officer.
"At no time did I make a threat to kill," he said.
Resident Magistrate Sarah Creanor said she was inclined to believe the police evidence.
Ms Creanor sentenced Potts to three months imprisonment to run concurrently with his present charge.
Loyalist jailed for threat to kill policeman
Adair ally boasted of his links to 'C' Company
By Maureen Coleman
mcoleman@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
27 October 2004
A leading loyalist who was an ally of former UDA boss Johnny Adair has received a three month jail sentence for threatening to kill a police officer during a hospital fracas.
Thomas Potts, (36), of Dover Street in the Lower Shankill, will serve the jail term alongside a sentence previously imposed for blackmail.
Potts denied the threat to kill charge, telling a Belfast court it was a "complete fabrication".
The court was told that earlier in the day that the threat was made, Potts had acted as "peace-maker".
However, he later became aggressive and threatened to kill a police officer, boasting of his links with 'C' Company.
Giving evidence before the court, a police constable said that on the morning of September 8, 2001, police were called to a house where there was a disturbance.
A man in a distressed state had climbed onto the roof. Potts, a well-known community worker in the area, was called to the scene to intervene.
The police were asked to pull back, while Potts managed to coax the man down from the roof.
The man was then arrested and brought to the Mater Hospital where he was cautioned for a number of offences.
The police constable said that Potts then arrived on the scene, swearing and shouting.
He described Potts' behaviour at the time as "aggresive".
Under cross-examination, the police constable denied claims by Potts' solicitor that the statements given by himself and two other officers had been fabricated.
In his testimony, Potts admitted he was in an "agitated" state when he got to the hospital because he had been told that the man arrested earlier had been assaulted by police.
But he denied that he was aggressive and that he threatened to kill an officer.
"At no time did I make a threat to kill," he said.
Resident Magistrate Sarah Creanor said she was inclined to believe the police evidence.
Ms Creanor sentenced Potts to three months imprisonment to run concurrently with his present charge.
