Billy Hutchinson is an ex-UVF member and Loyalist who saw the Troubles heat up and  erupt as he was a teen in sectarian Northern Ireland.

Billy told us about his growing up in the Shankill area, a working class Protestant part of Belfast and his community felt uncared for by their government despite identifying as loyal Brits.

Billy, in an attempt to join the UVF, set up a youth loyalist group and was being hunted by the British army before he was 16 years of age.

Billy recounts a chilling incident when he was abducted by the british army, brought to a field where they performed a mock-execution and then brought him to a barracks where he was hung from the ceiling by his hands and savagely beaten.

We spoke about the double-murder he took part in which resulted in Billy spending 10 years in Long Kesh. Billy told me about prison life, post-prison work for peace and much more

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TIMESTAMPS 

00:00 Growing up in the Shankill area pre-troubles
9:32 The terms “Loyalist” and “Unionist” 
11:17 Earliest memory of sectarianism   
16:52 The troubles kicking off 
27:42 FURNITURE SHOP BOMB IN HIS AREA 
36:47 Did they feel like The British govt care about them? 
40:12 PARAMILITARY ACTIVITY AS A TEEN 
52:42 LIFTED BY BRITISH ARMY & tortured 
57:52 Did Billy’s parents know about his involvement ?
59:17 M*RDERS THAT SENT BILLY TO PRISON 
1:02:07 “I justify everything I did in the troubles, to STAY SANE I have to”
1:07:52 Collusion with security forces ???
1:13:52 CATCHING AN INFORMER WITHIN UVF
1:17:25 Did UVF have their own “nutting squad” like the IRA?
1:18:57 Ten Years in LONG KESH
1:34:52 DEATH THREATS & 
1:37:17 Does N.I work as a state now?
1:39:07 Thoughts on Irish reunification