A FORMER British soldier has said he will be returning a medal awarded for service during the Troubles in 'disgust' at the tributes paid to Martin McGuinness.
Jonathan Williams, who was given a general service medal for his tour of duty in the north, told a London radio station he was left "really annoyed" and "very sad" at Queen Elizabeth's decision to send a message of condolence to Mr McGuinness's widow Bernie.
Speaking on the Nigel Farage show on LBC radio, Mr Williams told the former UKIP leader of his dismay at the reaction to the death of the former IRA commander.
"I've just been disgusted by so many things about what I've heard today from the entire elite political class who seem to think that this man is warranting virtual sainthood.
"What really annoyed me and made me very sad was, and I’m sure it’s not because of the Queen’s real thoughts on this, for goodness sake, she has lot members of her own family hasn’t she."
He added: "I think she has been very, very badly advised to send condolences to this wretched man’s family, if she hadn’t have done it the world wouldn’t have stopped turning."
Mr Williams said the British army "went to Ireland to help protect the people of Ireland from a gang of vicious psychopaths".
Asked by Mr Farage whether there were "psychopaths" on "both sides", the former British soldier added: "There were probably one or two in the British Army to be fair".
