THREE men jailed for destroying the getaway car used in the murder of former loyalist paramilitary boss John Boreland have failed in a bid to have their sentences reduced.
The Court of Appeal rejected claims there were flaws in the process leading to the prison terms imposed on Darren McAllister, Thomas O'Hara and Thomas Pearson.
Dismissing their challenges, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said: "Their conduct was carried out with full knowledge of the background to the terrorist incident."
Mr Boreland (46) was shot dead outside his north Belfast home in August 2016.
A gunman opened fire on the ex-UDA leader at Sunningdale Gardens as he walked back from his local bar.
McAllister (35) of Carrs Glen Park in Belfast; O'Hara (31) with an address in Kilburney, Scotland; and Pearson (63) from Rathglynn in Antrim, were all convicted of perverting the course of justice in connection with the killing.
Pearson, who also faced a count of making property available to terrorists - namely the Renault Megane used by the murderers - received a total sentence of six years.
McAllister was handed a term of five years, while O'Hara was sentenced to four years and nine months.
The court heard the Megane had been seen performing a u-turn in the Sunningdale area at the time of the murder.
Seconds later, a number of shots were fired, and Mr Boreland was found slumped between two cars.
The following day that car was picked up on CCTV being driven in convoy with a Nissan Micra.
A tracking device fitted to the Micra showed it had been driven to Wheeler's Road in the Belfast Hills - the same isolated road where the Megane was subsequently found burned out.
Pearson, who owned the Megane, later told police he had been approached by people he knew were members of the UDA who told him to provide his vehicle.
He left his keys in the ignition, and two days later it was used as the getaway car in the murder.
Earlier this year McAllister, O'Hara and Pearson were informed they will serve half their sentences in custody, and the remainder on licence following their release.
The judge who imposed the jail terms described the murder as a "cold-blooded assassination".
But the trio challenged those sentences, claiming errors in relation to the starting point in the process.
High-profile loyalist Andre Shoukri, a close associate of the murder victim, was present in court for the appeal hearing.
Following submissions Sir Declan, chairing a three-judge panel, identified no flaws in the sentencing exercise.
Referring to their actions, he added: "The nature of the conduct was to seek to destroy evidence which would have been of significance in terms of the investigation, and may have assisted in the securing of the prosecution and conviction of those who were responsible."
The Chief Justice confirmed: "In our view, the (trial judge's) approach to this case was impeccable and could not be criticised."
