16.9.04
BBC NEWS
Finucane killer gets 22 years
Ken Barrett was secretly filmed by BBC Panorama
A loyalist who confessed in court to murdering Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane has been sentenced to 22 years imprisonment.
Ken Barrett admitted the killing of Mr Finucane in the kitchen of his family home in north Belfast in February 1989.
However, the 41-year-old could be freed within months under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
Barrett entered the guilty plea at the beginning of his trial in the Crown Court in Belfast on Monday, having denied the murder at previous hearings.
He was the first person to be charged with the solicitor's murder.
"I have searched in vain for any semblance of genuine remorse in your various accounts of your participation in this crime contained in the court papers and have found, on the contrary, only boastful expressions of self satisfaction."
Mr Justice Weir
Mr Justice Weir acknowledged he could be freed much sooner.
He described the "cruel and callous" murder as a "terrorist killing carefully planned and mercilessly executed".
The judge said he was "not unaware" that Barrett could apply for early release under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement but this was "entirely outside the control of the Criminal Courts".
However, he said his decision concerning a minimum term "must of necessity be made without reference to how, if at all" the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement would effect his release date.
He added: "I have no doubt that an object of this brutal crime was to intimidate and thereby deter other members of the legal profession from carrying out their duty to represent without fear or favour all those, including terrorists such as you, who come to them for professional advice and assistance.
"It is greatly to the credit of the profession that it has not allowed itself to be intimidated or deterred by this or other outrages carried out for the same purpose."
Mr Justice Weir said he regretted he could find very few mitigating factors other than Barrett's late guilty plea.
However, he added: "I have searched in vain for any semblance of genuine remorse in your various accounts of your participation in this crime contained in the court papers and have found, on the contrary, only boastful expressions of self satisfaction."
Barrett was given concurrent jail terms of between five and 20 years for his 11 other paramilitary crimes.
Legal challenge
Mr Finucane, 39, was shot dead by the loyalist Ulster Defence Association.
The killing was one of the most controversial of the 30 years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, mainly because of the allegations of collusion between loyalist paramilitaries and members of the security forces.
Barrett also admitted other charges which included the attempted murder of Mr Finucane's wife Geraldine, stealing Army-owned weapons and membership of the Ulster Freedom Fighters.
Pat Finucane was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries
A legal challenge over the government's failure to set up a public inquiry into Mr Finucane's murder was adjourned in June.
Mr Finucane's widow, Geraldine is challenging the government's decision to delay a public inquiry, which was recommended by retired Canadian judge, Peter Cory.
Mr Cory was appointed by the British and Irish Governments in 2001 to examine allegations of collusion surrounding some of the most controversial killings of the Troubles.
However, the government decided to postpone a decision on establishing an inquiry into Mr Finucane's murder until all criminal proceedings are exhausted.
Sinn Fein has claimed that the British Government is using an investigation into the murder to block any such inquiry.
Finucane killer gets 22 years
Ken Barrett was secretly filmed by BBC Panorama
A loyalist who confessed in court to murdering Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane has been sentenced to 22 years imprisonment.
Ken Barrett admitted the killing of Mr Finucane in the kitchen of his family home in north Belfast in February 1989.
However, the 41-year-old could be freed within months under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.
Barrett entered the guilty plea at the beginning of his trial in the Crown Court in Belfast on Monday, having denied the murder at previous hearings.
He was the first person to be charged with the solicitor's murder.
"I have searched in vain for any semblance of genuine remorse in your various accounts of your participation in this crime contained in the court papers and have found, on the contrary, only boastful expressions of self satisfaction."
Mr Justice Weir
Mr Justice Weir acknowledged he could be freed much sooner.
He described the "cruel and callous" murder as a "terrorist killing carefully planned and mercilessly executed".
The judge said he was "not unaware" that Barrett could apply for early release under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement but this was "entirely outside the control of the Criminal Courts".
However, he said his decision concerning a minimum term "must of necessity be made without reference to how, if at all" the provisions of the Good Friday Agreement would effect his release date.
He added: "I have no doubt that an object of this brutal crime was to intimidate and thereby deter other members of the legal profession from carrying out their duty to represent without fear or favour all those, including terrorists such as you, who come to them for professional advice and assistance.
"It is greatly to the credit of the profession that it has not allowed itself to be intimidated or deterred by this or other outrages carried out for the same purpose."
Mr Justice Weir said he regretted he could find very few mitigating factors other than Barrett's late guilty plea.
However, he added: "I have searched in vain for any semblance of genuine remorse in your various accounts of your participation in this crime contained in the court papers and have found, on the contrary, only boastful expressions of self satisfaction."
Barrett was given concurrent jail terms of between five and 20 years for his 11 other paramilitary crimes.
Legal challenge
Mr Finucane, 39, was shot dead by the loyalist Ulster Defence Association.
The killing was one of the most controversial of the 30 years of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, mainly because of the allegations of collusion between loyalist paramilitaries and members of the security forces.
Barrett also admitted other charges which included the attempted murder of Mr Finucane's wife Geraldine, stealing Army-owned weapons and membership of the Ulster Freedom Fighters.
Pat Finucane was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries
A legal challenge over the government's failure to set up a public inquiry into Mr Finucane's murder was adjourned in June.
Mr Finucane's widow, Geraldine is challenging the government's decision to delay a public inquiry, which was recommended by retired Canadian judge, Peter Cory.
Mr Cory was appointed by the British and Irish Governments in 2001 to examine allegations of collusion surrounding some of the most controversial killings of the Troubles.
However, the government decided to postpone a decision on establishing an inquiry into Mr Finucane's murder until all criminal proceedings are exhausted.
Sinn Fein has claimed that the British Government is using an investigation into the murder to block any such inquiry.
