A former UDR soldier was charged yesterday with the murder 10 years ago of Belfast solicitor Mr Pat Finucane. Mr William Alfred Stobie (48), from Forthriver Road, Belfast, who served in the Ulster Defence Regiment, was remanded in custody to the Maze Court on July 14th.
Mr Finucane (39) was shot in front of his wife and three children in their home at Fortwilliam Drive, Belfast, on February 12th, 1989. His wife, Geraldine, who was shot in the leg, has lodged a compensation claim against the Ministry of Defence and former double agent Brian Nelson, whom she alleges targeted her husband for assassination by the Ulster Freedom Fighters, which admitted the killing.
Mr Stobie appeared relaxed in the dock at Belfast Magistrates' Court and on several occasions leaned over to speak to his solicitor.
His arrest was the first since the Finucane case was reopened by a Metropolitan Police officer, Mr John Stevens.
RUC Det Supt Brannigan said that when Mr Stobie was charged he replied: "Not guilty to the charge you have put to me tonight. At the time, I was a police informer for Special Branch. On the night of the death of Patrick Finucane, I informed special branch on two occasions by telephone that a person was to be shot. I did not know at the time of the person who was to be shot."
Questioned by Mr Joe Rice, defence solicitor, about the nature of the evidence, Supt Brannigan replied: "It's within the written and verbal statements."
Asked if the statement related to interviews almost 10 years ago, Supt Brannigan said that he wished to reserve that information.
Mr Rice said that the defence had been placed as a disadvantage by the fact that an officer from the Stevens inquiry team had not presented himself in court. "On that basis, I see nothing worthwhile in pursuing further cross-examination", Mr Rice said. "But my client has asked me to make a number of points. Firstly, he totally denies and repudiates the charge of murder and has done so both orally and in writing to detectives from the Stevens inquiry at Gough Barracks.
"Secondly, he was a paid Crown agent, acting on behalf of the police, between 1987 and 1990, and on at least two occasions gave police indications before this murder that clearly were not acted upon.
"He also gave police information after the murder about the murder weapon. He believes the police and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions are likely to have had access to this information for some time. As a result of this information, at another trial involving William Stobie on firearms charges on January 23rd, 1991, the Crown offered no evidence and a finding of not guilty was entered on both counts.
"My instructions are that the bulk of the evidence here today has been known to the authorities for almost 10 years.
"Finally, my client has asked me to state that the murky web of deceit and lies spun around this murder doesn't emanate from him and he looks forward to the truth coming out at the inevitable trial at Belfast Crown Court."