Michael Stone (loyalist)
Michael Stone (born 2 April 1955) is a British former loyalist militant who was a member of the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) in Northern Ireland. He grew up in England and Northern Ireland and joined loyalist groups as a young man.
Key events
- 1984: He killed Patrick Brady, a Catholic milkman.
- 1985: He killed Kevin McPolin and later attempted to kill Robert McAllister.
- 1987: He killed Dermot Hackett (Stone has said he did not kill Hackett, but he faced charges for the period).
- 16 March 1988: Milltown Cemetery attack. Stone attacked an IRA funeral with grenades and guns, killing three people and injuring many. He was captured and later convicted.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a total of 684 years in prison. While in prison, he became a leader among UDA/UVF prisoners. He was released on licence in 2000 under the Good Friday Agreement.
In November 2006, he was arrested for attempting to enter Stormont parliament buildings armed with weapons and explosives in a plan to kill Sinn Féin leaders Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness. In 2008 he was convicted of those charges and given a 16-year sentence. In 2013 a Belfast Court of Appeal ruled he must serve a further 18 years for the Milltown killings. He was released on parole in January 2021.
Stone has nine children from his two marriages. After his release, he worked on community projects and pursued painting as an artist. A biography about his life was published in 2004.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:55 (CET).