Lawyers issue fresh call for inquiry into Finucane murder

Lawyers on both sides of the Irish Sea this week repeated calls for a full public inquiry into the murder 13 years ago of Northern Irish solicitor Pat Finucane, after a report by Metropolitan Police chief Sir John Stevens confirmed that British security services colluded in his murder.

Sir John's report concluded that Mr Finucane's murder could have been prevented.

A high-profile Catholic solicitor who acted for republican paramilitary suspects, Mr Finucane was shot dead by the loyalist paramilitary Ulster Defence Association in front of his family while eating Sunday dinner at his home in 1989.

His family vehemently denies claims that he was an IRA officer.

A spokesman for the Law Society of Northern Ireland said the society had not departed from its long-standing position that 'there should be a full public inquiry into what happened'.

He said: 'This is necessary for the simple reason that the allegations are serious enough for the attention of a full public inquiry.'

The outcome of the Stevens inquiry had not made any difference he said, adding: 'The result of the [Stevens] inquiry would not be earth-shattering news because many people in Northern Ireland already believed what it said.'

Lucy Winskell, a partner with Eversheds in Newcastle and chairwoman of the Law Society of England and Wales's human rights committee, echoed his views.

Speaking in a personal capacity - rather than on the committee's behalf - she said: 'My own view is that...

a public inquiry is what is required for a case like this.'

In February 2002, the Law Society and Bar Council of both England and Wales, and Northern Ireland joined forces to issue a joint statement calling for an independent inquiry.

It said: 'William Stobie, a key witness, was murdered in December 2001 and vital evidence has already disappeared.

Previous and on-going investigations into Patrick Finucane's murder have failed to provide answers to the evidence which has emerged over the last 13 years.'

Jeremy Fleming