Heroin dealing hitman ‘moping around’ prison after murder appeal rejection

Loyalist assassin Jamie ‘Jay’ Smith had been planning a new life in Carrickfergus, convinced that his conviction for the gangland killing of rival drug dealer Dougie Morrison would be quashed.

But he has been left stunned by the failure of his legal challenge which means he will have to spend at least another 10 years behind bars in the high-security Maghaberry Prison.

“Smith is distraught, he had convinced himself his appeal was going to be a success and he was boasting about settling down in Carrickfergus once he was freed,” a jail insider said.

“He has been moping about the wing ever since. A lot of the other loyalist prisoners, especially the UVF ones, are secretly delighted because Smith isn’t liked as he is a convicted heroin dealer.”

Smith is held on the loyalist Bush House wing under the protection of the South East Antrim (SEA) UDA drugs cartel. Although not a member of the terror gang he is looked after by it as a favour for helping it establish cocaine importation routes into Northern Ireland from England.

Liverpool-born Smith is a major gangland figure in the city and was previously described in court as being a key member of an organised crime group which “operates between Belfast, Liverpool and Dublin”.

The 44-year-old is serving life with a minimum 21 years for the 2011 murder of rival drug dealer Dougie Morrison in Bangor.

The killing occurred just nine days after the Department of Justice in England ordered his return to prison for breaching the terms of his early release for heroin dealing.

While on bail for the Morrison murder, Smith was caught with £250,000 of cocaine in Belfast and later convicted of possessing the haul with intent to supply.

His appeal against the murder conviction was backed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC) — an independent body set up to examine potential miscarriages of justice.

Smith’s lawyers argued that a change in the law on joint enterprise cast doubt on the safety of his conviction. He was convicted of murdering Morrison alongside East Belfast UVF member ‘Pistol’ Pete Greer.

The lawyers also disputed evidence that Smith had the alleged intent or knowledge of the planned attack.

However, this was dismissed by the Court of Appeal which ruled: “The jury were entitled to convict Smith as a secondary party of murder on the basis of assisting in the common plan to assassinate two men.”

The ruling has pleased several loyalist prisoners who share the Bush House wing with Smith, particularly the UVF’s jail leader Steven Revels, who is serving life for the cut-throat killings of two teenagers.

Our source added: “Revels is anti-drugs and has no time for Jay Smith because he is a heroin dealer. He hasn’t stopped smiling since Smith’s appeal failed.”

Meanwhile, another SEA UDA-linked drug dealer has been moaning to pals that he has received absolutely no support from the terror gang while in jail.

Phil ‘Flea’ Kerr — who is serving an 11-month prison sentence for possessing cocaine with intent to supply — was heard complaining while on day release recently.

The 35-year-old loyalist bandsman, who is from the White City area of north Belfast and sold drugs for the SEA UDA, told friends that he felt “abandoned”.

“Flea was overheard moaning about how the UDA has done nothing for him while he has been inside and he has been abandoned,” explained a source.

“He said he expected some help because of how he was set up for arrest by an informant, and kept his mouth shut when questioned by the police.”