 Although he was arrested repeatedly on suspicion of murder and conspiracy, he never faced any charges.Wright rapidly ascended to a position of prominence within the UVF ranks, eventually assuming leadership of the local Portadown unit.He became commander of the UVF's Mid-Ulster Brigade in the early 1990s, having taken over from his mentor Robin "the Jackal" Jackson, who had been the leader since July 1975 and one of Wright's instructors in the use of weaponry.