Police killer may be freed after 38 years

Britain's most notorious police killer could be freed from prison within weeks after 38 years inside. Harry Roberts, convicted in 1966 for the shooting murder of three unarmed officers, is to have his case reviewed at two hearings as well as being the subject of a legal challenge at the Lords.

Lawyers for Roberts, 68, will say he is being unlawfully held on the basis of secret evidence that the Home Secretary and parole board refuse to disclose. Roberts is to have his case heard at a secret meeting before the board in the week of 11 April , an open one on 15 April and is listed for an appeal to the Lords on 20 and 21 April.

The Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, and relatives of the three victims, have pledged to oppose any move to free him. Roberts shot Detective Constable David Wombwell, 25, and Detective Sergeant Christopher Head, 30, in west London. A third officer, PC Geoffrey Fox, 41, was shot by John Duddy. Roberts, Duddy, and Jack Witney, another of the armed robbery gang, were convicted of murder and all given life. Roberts, on the run for three months before capture, was set a tariff of 30 years.

In 2001, he was preparing to be released on licence when undisclosed allegations were made. David Blunkett, the then Home Secretary, in an unprecedented move, decided that because of the sensitivity of the information a special advocate, or barrister, rather than Roberts's lawyer, should deal with evidence against him. The parole board later ruled that the advocate system, introduced to deal with national security cases, should be used for the first time in domestic criminal cases.

Neither Roberts or his legal team have been allowed to know why he is still considered a threat and who is making the claims. This makes it impossible to refute them, they say.

Roberts is understood to have been accused of being an active criminal and using underworld contacts to gain money illegally. The 15 April open parole hearing will be at Channings Wood, a low-security prison in Devon, where he is being held. After the hearing he could be freed, moved to an open prison in preparation for release, or stay in jail. A report by prison and parole officials is understood to say that although Roberts is not considered a threat he broke prison rules and has shown signs of being untrustworthy.

This is believed to refer to misleading authorities about ownership of a car, and wrongly claiming to be in paid employment while doing voluntary work at an animal sanctuary in Alfreton, Derbyshire.

Lawyers for Roberts will tell the Lords the parole board does not have authority to use the special advocate system for a criminal, rather than a terror suspect. If the appeal is upheld, the board would have to disclose events of the secret hearing and reconsider the case. Simon Creighton, Roberts' solicitor, said: "I've never believed in conspiracy theories until this case. I feel there is a concerted effort to prevent Harry Roberts from ever leaving prison."

But Glen Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: "At least Harry Roberts has a life. He took three lives away and destroyed the lives of their loved ones, who are deeply affected to this day. It was a heinous crime and life was supposed to mean life."