Triple killer Andrew Walker released from jail

Andrew Walker killed three of his army colleagues in cold blood during a payroll robbery

A former soldier who killed three of his colleagues in an armed robbery has been released from prison on compassionate grounds.

Andrew Walker was a corporal in the Royal Scots when he carried out the crime in Midlothian in 1985.

At the time of his conviction, judge Lord Grieve recommended that he serve at least 30 years in prison because of his "callous disregard for human life".

Walker, who is 57, was left severely disabled by a stroke in 2009.

In October 2002, he appealed against the length of his sentence. It was reduced to 27 years.

Walker was based at Glencorse barracks in Penicuik when he carried out the robbery.

He signed out a sub-machine gun from the armoury and held up a military Land Rover which was being used to collect the army payroll.

The three soldiers who were guarding the cash were killed in cold blood. Their bodies were found in the Pentland Hills.

The money - £19,000 - has never been recovered.

In a sentencing report made public at the time of Walker's appeal, Lord Grieve said: "A person who could bring himself to do what he did is not fit to live in a society which still regards itself as civilised.

"This was a calculated crime. The accused, if he was to achieve his purpose, had to kill.

"I am quite satisfied that the crime was carefully planned, and I am also quite sure that the substance of the evidence given by Walker was a tissue of lies."