Funeral is held for loyalist Gray

Jim Gray Senior walked behind the hearse carrying his son

The funeral of former loyalist leader Jim Gray has taken place in Belfast.

Gray, the former leader of the Ulster Defence Association in east Belfast, was shot outside his father's home in the east of the city last Tuesday.

Members of the UDA were told not to attend the service, which was held at the same house on the Clarawood estate.

Few mourners attended the funeral, with just 14 men following the cortege which drove to Roselawn Cemetery where the 47-year-old has been buried.

The funeral procession from the house was led by his father, Jim Senior, who walked behind the hearse.

Seven police Land Rovers also followed the cortege.

Gray was buried in the same plot as his 19-year-old son, Jonathan, who died while on holiday in Thailand.

A group of men, who did not attend the service, turned up at the graveside.

Jim Gray had been recently released on bail

On Saturday, four men questioned about the murder were released without charge.

Six people had been questioned by police about Tuesday's shooting, but all have now been released.

Police have said UDA involvement is a major line of inquiry. Gray was expelled from the UDA last March.

Awaiting trial

Gray was recently released on bail on charges of money laundering, and was living at his father's home in Knockwood Park while awaiting his court appearance.

The police said Gray had been warned that he was under threat since his release on bail.

In April, just over a week after being expelled from the UDA leadership, Gray was stopped by police near Banbridge, County Down.

He was travelling in a car towards the Irish border, and police suspected he was trying to leave the country.

The police found a bank draft for 10,000 euro and nearly £3,000 in cash in his car.

Gray claimed the money had come from the sale of two pubs in east Belfast.

However, police believed it was obtained through crime including extortion and drug dealing.