Thomas Hughes

Thomas Hughes 34 years, Lower Falls Road, west Belfast, shot in his taxi not far from his home, on 19 July 1991, by the UVF. Mr Hughes was a Falls Road black taxi driver and had only left his home to begin work when he was shot after stopping his vehicle at traffic lights at Divis Street. The shooting took place in full view of a sophisticated British Army observation and listening post on top of Divis Tower. Despite the killers fleeing the area Crown forces concentrated their follow-up operations in the area where the victim was shot. 

Before his death Crown forces constantly harassed Mr Hughes. Relatives and friends arriving at the scene of the shooting were abused, and later when several went to collect his body from the morgue they were arrested by the RUC. At an inquest in July 1992 it was revealed that personal details on Mr Hughes contained on Crown force intelligence documents were found in a unionist/loyalist area. On the same document were similar details on Martin O’Prey, who was shot dead in the same area in August 1991. 

One man was later charged in connection with withholding information about the hijacking of his taxicab, which was used to kill Mr Hughes. After his taxi was taken from him he sat drinking in a social club until told to inform police. He was later given a suspended sentence.