Ex-policeman slams release of Pat Finucane’s murderer

A retired police officer who helped to convict the murderer of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane has criticised the man’s release under the Good Friday Agreement.

Ken Barrett was jailed for life in 2004 after being convicted of carrying out the UDA killing.

However, he was freed under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement yesterday having served just three years in prison.

Under the agreement, prisoners are only supposed to be released if they are no longer connected to active paramilitary groups and if they pose no threat to the public.

However, retired police officer Trevor McIlwrath said today that Barrett had threatened to kill both him and another policeman involved in the case and he still feared the UDA man could carry out the threat.