Public inquiry into Pat Finucane murder begins

The first public hearing of the Pat Finucane inquiry has begun.

Standing on the steps of the inquiry, the widow of Pat Finucane described it as a "monumental" day, adding that she feared the inquiry might never happen and that questions about the 1989 murder now needed to be answered.

The 39-year-old solicitor was shot at his home in north Belfast by loyalist paramilitaries in front of his wife and children.

Several examinations of the case have found evidence of state collusion.

The inquiry chair, Sir Gary Hickinbottom, has insisted he will act independently of government.

In his opening remarks, he said: "I will make my own decisions without fear or favour."

He said he would "build on" previous investigations but would act "independently and impartially", free from external influence.

Without setting an exact timescale for the inquiry, he said he would work "as quickly and effectively as possible" while also being "thorough and methodical".

At the end of the inquiry he said he would make findings of facts and recommendations.

Sir Gary acknowledged that the "brutal" murder of Finucane in February 1989 had inflicted an enduring impact on his bereaved family.

Although most of the inquiry will be in public and streamed online, there may be some closed hearings.

It is based at a building in south Belfast.

A lawyer representing the government at the inquiry apologised to the Finucane family for the state collusion in his murder.

Quoting words said in 2012 by the then Prime Minister David Cameron, Peter Coll KC said: "On behalf of the Government and the whole country, let me say again to the Finucane family, I am deeply sorry."

A lawyer representing the Finucane family at the inquiry said it was essential to discover the "fullest possible account of the facts".

Danny Friedman KC said: "The identity of those who colluded - and the precise nature of the help they gave before, during and after the crime - have never been publicly disclosed."

He said the death of Pat Finucane was a tragedy for his family "but it was catastrophic for the rule of law".

The first hearing lasted two hours. The next one is not expected to take place until after the summer.

Sir Gary is a former Court of Appeals judge who also chaired the Post Office Overturned Convictions Independent Pecuniary Losses Assessment Panel and the Horizon Convictions Redress Panel.

The former Police Ombudsman Baroness Nuala O'Loan and international human rights lawyer Francesca Del Mese are assessors to the inquiry.

The extended Finucane family arrived by private bus at the inquiry on Wednesday.

Surrounded by her adult children and grandchildren, Geraldine Finucane said: "As you can see by the number of people who are with me today, this is a monumental day for our family.

"We have waited 37-and-a-half years for this day and not one of us wanted to miss it."

She said they had fought "long and hard" to get to the truth, and to get to justice, "and that's what we're hoping that this inquiry will provide us with".

"We're hoping that all those questions that have never been fully answered will be answered during the inquiry and it will be thorough, and it will satisfy us and then we will have closure," she said.

Pat Finucane was a well-known defence solicitor who frequently acted for high-profile IRA members.

He also represented loyalists in his work.

In February 1989 he was shot 14 times by two gunmen.

His wife Geraldine was also wounded.

One of his sons is the Sinn Féin MP John Finucane.

At an inquest into his death, police rejected claims that Pat Finucane was in the IRA.

In 2012, Sir Desmond de Silva's report into the murder found there was agent involvement and that police took no action on threat intelligence.