Stephen Hutton shortlisted for Volunteer of the Year despite cocaine-dealing case

Stephen Hutton has been shortlisted for a Volunteer of the Year award, despite having been caught in a police investigation into cocaine dealing, according to the report. The 53-year-old runs a community hub in the Pitt Park area of the lower Newtownards Road in east Belfast. The article says Hutton was caught as part of a probe into drug-peddling linked to the UVF. It also describes him as a superfan of alleged UVF leader Stephen “Mackers” Matthews, with a photograph caption identifying the two men together. The report does not set out the details of Hutton’s case or say what role, if any, the alleged association played in his award nomination. The nomination has put the contrast between Hutton’s community work and the drug case at the centre of the story. His hub serves the local Pitt Park area, while the Volunteer of the Year shortlist recognises people for contributions to their communities. The article does not name the organisation behind the award or provide information about the judging process. The report presents Hutton’s nomination as a striking development given the allegations linked to the investigation. It does not state whether he has been convicted of an offence, nor does it provide a response from him about the shortlist or the case. The claims about his connection to Matthews and the UVF are allegations attributed to the report, rather than established findings in the material provided.