GERALDINE Finucane has told the Secretary of State that only a "full independent inquiry" is capable of uncovering the truth behind her husband Pat's murder.

Last week the British government was given three weeks to agree with the Finucane family a human rights compliant investigation into the solicitor’s 1989 murder.

Mr Finucane was shot dead by a UDA gang at his North Belfast home in front of his family. Subsequent official reports concluded that there was collusion between loyalists and the British state, for which former Prime Minister David Cameron apologised on behalf of the British government.

For three decades the Finucane family have campaigned for a public inquiry into the murder.

After Thursday's meeting, Peter Madden of Madden & Finucane Solicitors said: “This morning Geraldine Finucane and her family and legal representatives met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, to discuss the implications of the recent Court of Appeal decision which dismissed the previous Government’s decision not to hold a Public Inquiry into Pat’s murder.

“Geraldine Finucane reiterated to the Secretary of State that only a full independent judicial inquiry is capable of reaching the full truth of the circumstances of Pat’s murder.”