A LEGAL challenge has been launched after the PSNI said it would neither confirm nor deny if alleged paedophile priest Malachy Finegan was a police informer.
Finegan has been accused of sexual abuse across Co Down, including at St Colman's College in Newry where he taught from 1967.
He also served was president of the school from 1976 to 1987.
Many of those who attended St Colman's College during Finegan's time there were from republican heartlands across south Down and south Armagh.
It is strongly suspected by some that Finegan was working for the RUC.
In 2018 former Bishop of Dromore John McAreavey told the police of his concerns that Finegan was an informer.
Dr McAreavey stood down in the same year after it emerged he had celebrated Mass alongside Finegan in 2000.
He previously apologised for officiating at the priest’s funeral in 2002.
It has now emerged that one of Finegan's victims, who does not want to be named, is to launch a legal challenge after the PSNI provided a neither confirm nor deny (NCND) response when asked if Finegan was a state agent or informer.
Solicitor, Kevin Winters, of KRW Law, last night said: "Finegan was never prosecuted for his multiple crimes committed on scores of young children across four decades.
"Our client is bringing a challenge to police refusal to say whether or not Finegan was an informant for the police at any stage but more specifically during his time as president of St Colman’s college Newry."
Mr Winters said there has been a long-standing suspicion about Finegan.
"A refusal by PSNI to deny any suggestion that Finegan supplied information to the security forces only served to fuel suspicions that he might have been some sort of low-level informant," he said.
"The latest decision invoking NCND is extraordinary.
"A simple denial is all that we have asked for.
"He is dead for over 20 years now and has no immediate family to whom a right to life obligation might exist."
Mr Winters added that "we have brought this judicial review challenge to find out if Finnegan had some form of protected status".
A spokeswoman for the PSNI said: "The matter is the subject of legal proceedings and it would be inappropriate to comment."
