11/02/2015

PSNI Officers Blocked From Accessing Interview Tapes

PSNI officers on a flight to Boston in the US hoping to access recorded interviews given by former-loyalist prisoner, Winston Rea, have been banned from doing so.

Lawyers for Mr Rea had launched a legal case on Monday trying to block the PSNI from accessing the interviews he gave to the Boston College's 'Belfast Project'.

He lost his case and police had boarded a flight to Boston on Tuesday.

However, Mr Rea's lawyers appealed the ruling, and the Court of Appeal issued a temporary restraining order until Friday.

The PSNI officers are understood to be in Boston, where they will remain until at least Friday until the conclusion on Mr Rea's appeal.

Mr Rea was one of a number of loyalist and republican prisoners who gave interviews for the project, on the understanding that no transcripts of interviews would be made public after each participants death.

Mr Rea's lawyers are expected to renew legal arguments that the PSNI move breaches his right to privacy.

(MH/CD)

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