Thousands of pounds were spent on accommodation and travel to allow a police ombudsman’s investigator to keep a pet dog at his side.

Gardaí are seeking to question convicted child killer Robert Howard about a series of unsolved murders of women, it emerged today.

The British Government was challenged today to clarify what human considerations were holding up the release of reports on four controversial killings in Northern Ireland.

Three police officers were recovering from shock today following an early morning bomb attack on a new housing development in Derry.