He came to prominence in the early years of the 21st century when he served as leader of the North Belfast Brigade of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and, as such, one of the six commanders of the movement as a whole.

[6] Three families were driven from the area in the first week of attacks, including an elderly Protestant woman who was targeted after speaking out in support of her Catholic neighbours.

[7] The incident helped set the tone for Boreland's time in charge as his reign was characterised by a growing climate of fear, with the UDA's popularity amongst north Belfast's Protestants falling very low as a result.

However, the security forces had prior warning of what was to happen and a combined operation by the police and army quickly defused the situation and killed off Simpson's rebellion.

[11] According to evidence at the trial, the extortion had been ongoing and, early in the year, the bar manager's husband had been lured to a meeting with Shoukri and Boreland where they put a gun to his head.

[12] Boreland, who was based in Sunningdale Gardens in the Ballysillan district of North Belfast at the time of the trial, was given a nine-year prison sentence after being found guilty of four charges of blackmail and one of intimidation and firearm possession in late 2007.

[13] On his release, Boreland was pictured in The Irish News with Andre Shoukri attending an event to commemorate killed UDA members in north Belfast on Remembrance Day 2011.

[15] In August 2014 as part of this internal struggle, Boreland, who had become associated with the pro-Molyneaux wing, was attacked with a breeze block and shot in the leg close to his home in Carr's Glen.