In this feature from our archives Irish journalist, John Breslin, charts the rise and fall of the infamous Boston crime lord, Whitey Bulger, who was found dead in his prison cell earlier today.

Accused Boston mobster James “Whitey” Bulger and one of his associates shot dead a bar owner in a phone booth for bragging about helping the “Winter Hill Gang” with another killing, an ex-convict and confessed murderer has testified.

A former criminal associate of James “Whitey” Bulger told jurors at the accused mob boss’s trial that he agreed to testify against his old friend after learning that his former gang pals had begun co-operating with law enforcement.

Working with James ‘Whitey’ Bulger only ever ended one way, reports RYLE DWYER

FROM comments about the Nuala O’Loan report one would think that collusion between the RUC and murderers was a particularly British phenomenon in which the police essentially gave a licence to an informant to murder people and engage in criminal activity as part of his supposed cover.