A soldier gave the UFF details about IRA suspects because he "hated the Provos and would rather they were killed than innocent Catholics", the Appeal Court in Belfast heard yesterday.
The claim was made by a Crown lawyer during a review of a four year sentence imposed last October on Royal Marine Derek Adgey (24) after he admitted passing information to be used to murder alleged IRA members. The review followed a reference by the Attorney General that the sentence was unduly lenient".
Crown counsel said Adgey, who comes from Belfast, was serving with 40 Royal Marine Commando in the west of Belfast in 1994 when he sought out UFF members and arranged for information to be passed to them.
The lawyer said Adgey had admitted 10 counts of soliciting murder, nine of recording information and three of collecting information. He added "The range of sentences for these type of offences must be substantial."
Mr Michael Lavery QC said the intended victims were already under threat and none of them came to any harm. What Adgey had done was wrong but it could be said that he was a local man who had allowed his feelings to blind him to his duty.
Judgment was reserved.