Killer loses freedom bid

A Loyalist Volunteer Force murderer has lost an attempt in the High Court to be freed from prison.

Stephen McClean was one of the killers of life-long friends Philip Allen and Damien Trainor in County Armagh in March 1998.

Mr Allen, 34, a Protestant, and Mr Trainor, 25, a Catholic, were shot dead when loyalist gunmen opened fire on customers at The Railway Bar in Poyntzpass.

McClean was due to be released under the Good Friday Agreement three years ago.

But he was kept in jail following a report from the Northern Ireland secretary that he was still a danger to the public.

On Thursday, Mr Justice Coughlin ruled that the Sentencing Review Commission was entitled to take the report into account when considering if McClean should be released.