East Lothian council worker who promoted banned UVF terrorist group avoids jail sentence
Prestonpans man has been given a community payback order and will wear an electronic tag for eight months
A council worker from East Lothian who organised fundraising events in support of the Ulster Volunteer Force terrorist group over a three year period has avoided a jail sentence.
Douglas Forsyth promoted the banned loyalist military organisation by using imagery and insignia connected to the group at an Orange Lodge building in Tranent, East Lothian.
Forsyth, 59, printed tickets and posters depicting the ‘Red Hand of Ulster’ emblem along with the phrases “For God and Ulster” and “No 1 Platoon” to advertise the events.
The social nights also featured a large UVF flag being displayed on a wall, an Orange flute band and were attended by representatives from the Loyalist Prisoners support group.
The Blair Halls venue used for the fundraising events is home to the Tranent True Blues Orange Lodge that has around 50 members.
Forsyth, from Prestonpans, East Lothian, was arrested in connection with the terror offences at Edinburgh Airport as he returned from a holiday abroad in April 2023.
Police then raided his family home and the Blair Halls and discovered UVF memorabilia including pin badges, magazines and tickets depicting imagery connected to the organisation.
Forsyth pleaded guilty to arranging meetings he knew was to support a proscribed organisation, namely the UVF, and encourage individuals to attend between February 2019 and February 2022 when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month.
He returned to the dock for sentencing yesterday where defence lawyer David Allan said: “There is no suggestion or evidence that any money gathered has been sent to the UVF.
“It is not in dispute that monies made went back into the running and maintenance of the halls.
“He understands he was promoting the UVF for the benefit of the club and unfortunately some other people responded to that.”
Sheriff Graeme Watson said: “You have pled guilty to an offence under section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
“Over a three-year period you arranged events that you knew were to support a proscribed organisation, namely the UVF.
“You repeatedly arranged events showing support for them.
“This was planned and deliberate conduct and you would be breathtakingly naive if you didn’t think this was endorsing the UVF.”
Forsyth was sentenced to a community payback order as a direct alternative to custody and was told he must carry out 180 hours of unpaid work.
He will also have to wear an electronic tag on his ankle and stay within his home address between 8pm and 6am for the next eight months.
Previously fiscal depute Sanah Idrees described as “a key holder and occasional licence holder” for the Blair Halls and police had searched the venue and his home following his arrest in 2023.
Ms Idrees said: “Various items were recovered following the search of the accused’s home address and the search of premises at the Blair Halls.
“These included UVF memorabilia, such as flags, UVF pin badges and UVF magazines, and tickets for events where the tickets depicted UVF imagery.
“Analysis of devices resulted in the recovery of still images and text messages posted by the accused for the purpose of encouraging people to attend the ticketed events referred to.”
The court heard Forsyth’s role was to ensure “events were well attended” and the events promoted on Facebook drew “heavily on UVF imagery and paramilitary insignia”.
The fiscal said: “He accepts that he used the foregoing – and its links with the UVF - in order to attract a larger audience to these events, events which were in themselves supportive of the UVF.
“However, it is accepted that there is no evidence that the money generated was provided to the UVF.”
Ms Idrees added: “The ticket makes reference to ‘No.1 Platoon’. This has paramilitary connotations.”
The Ulster Volunteer Force is a proscribed terrorist organisation formed in 1965 and carried out a near 30 year campaign of murder and violence before announcing a ceasefire in 1994.
The terror group’s self-declared goals were to combat Irish republican paramilitaries, including the Provisional IRA, and to maintain Northern Ireland's status as part of the United Kingdom.
The UVF was responsible for more than 500 deaths with the vast majority being Irish Catholic civilians who were often targeted at random.