Former Sinn Féin MLA and ex-IRA prisoner Paul Butler has died. He had confessed to the 1974 murder of reserve RUC constable John Rodgers and was jailed for 15 years; after his release, he entered politics, later serving as Lagan Valley MLA.
Rodgers, 50, was shot while on foot patrol on the Antrim Road in Glengormley. Butler also served as a councillor in Twinbrook and Poleglass, and stepped down from politics in 2011.
Sinn Féin MP Paul Maskey said Butler spent 15 years supporting victims’ families through Relatives for Justice and retired from the organisation earlier in 2026. Maskey described him as a dedicated activist.
