Gusty Spence
Augustus Andrew Spence (28 June 1933 – 25 September 2011) was a leader of the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and a leading loyalist politician in Northern Ireland. One of the first UVF members to be convicted of murder, Spence was a senior figure in the organisation for over a decade.
Gusty Spence | |
|---|---|
Spence in 1972, while at large from prison | |
| Born | Augustus Andrew Spence 28 June 1933 |
| Died | 25 September 2011 (aged 78) Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality | Northern Irish |
| Alma mater | Hemsworth Square school |
| Occupation(s) | Shipyard worker, PUP politician |
| Years active | 1959–2007 |
| Organization | Ulster Volunteer Force |
| Known for | Paramilitarism |
| Political party | Progressive Unionist Party |
| Movement | Ulster loyalism |
| Criminal charge | Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Life imprisonment |
| Criminal status | Deceased |
| Spouse |
Louie Donaldson
(m. 1953; died 2003) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) | Ned and Bella Spence |
| Relatives | Billy Spence (brother), Frankie Curry (nephew), Winston Churchill Rea (son-in-law) |
During his time in prison Spence renounced violence and helped to convince a number of fellow inmates that the future of the UVF lay in a more political approach. Spence joined the Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), becoming a leading figure in the group. As a PUP representative he took a principal role in delivering the loyalist ceasefires of 1994.
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