NI Troubles: Police 'truly thrashed' in Troubles propaganda battle

A retired head of special branch has told MPs that the police have been "well and truly thrashed" in a 20-year propaganda battle over the Troubles.

Former Assistant Chief Constable Chris Albiston was giving evidence on the government's legacy bill at the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee.

He also accused the Police Ombudsman's office of having "cooked-up nonsense reports" on ex-RUC officers' conduct.

Mr Albiston said he hoped the legacy bill "would knock that on the head".

The government's Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill is working its way through parliament.

Mr Albiston said former RUC officers have 'never ever asked for amnesty"

It would end all Troubles-era investigations and court cases.

Instead, a new information recovery body would be established, offering immunity from prosecution to individuals in return for co-operating with reports into individual killings.

Mr Albiston told MPs: "We have never, ever asked for amnesty.

"We have always said if you have evidence send it to the director of public prosecutions, but none of this nonsense whereby people can dream up imaginary problems with police behaviour long in the past.

"This generates ridiculous and harmful investigations which lead nowhere."

The MPs also heard evidence from Danny Kinahan, the Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner, who looks after issues related to retired soldiers.

"We have a bill here that is a great improvement on where we are at the moment," he said.

"It gives us a chance to have the balance right from what has been going on for the last 30 or 40 years."

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He said that veterans did not like the concept of amnesties, but they "begrudgingly accept" the bill as "a better way forward".

Both Mr Kinahan and Mr Albiston were sceptical that paramilitaries, or former paramilitaries, would co-operate with the new information recovery body in any significant number.

Those who do not co-operate remain liable to potential prosecution.

The bill is opposed by all five main Northern Ireland political parties and several victims' groups.