A triple police murderer who was arrested by a Stevenage officer has been released from prison after serving more than 48 years behind bars.
Harry Roberts, who was arrested by Sgt Peter Smith on November 15, 1966, was released from Littlehey Prison in Cambridgeshire on yesterday.
The 78-year-old had instigated what became known as The Massacre of Braybrook Street in East Acton, London, in which three unarmed officers, PC Geoffrey Fox, 41, Sgt Christopher Head, 30, and Det Con David Wombwell, 25, were shot dead by Roberts and an accomplice in 1966.
This led to a huge manhunt which lasted 96 days and involved thousands of police officers countrywide.
He was eventually found by Sgt Smith sleeping in a barn in Mathams Wood near Bishop’s Stortford.
Roberts’ release has been widely condemned by various organisations including The Police Federation of England and Wales which called the decision “abhorrent” and Metropolitan Police Federation which branded it “sickening”.
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