Victims' groups in the North have reacted angrily to a new study in which IRA and loyalist paramilitaries received counselling for post-traumatic stress from a leading clinical psychologist.
Two of the eight paramilitary killers seen by Dr Philip Pollack, who headed the study, have never been charged for their crimes but came to the attention of the psychologist after they attempted suicide.
Dr Pollack, who counselled the men as part of a wider study involving 100 killers from across Britain, has claimed the study was routine research at no extra cost to the British taxpayer. The counselling sessions usually cost up to £40 per hour.
"Some people say the killers deserve the burden of post-traumatic stress disorder. But it is a matter of treating everyone as best you can without making a judgment over whether they are entitled to treatment, which may sound odd to some people," he said.
Dr Pollack completed most of the research for the study at St Luke's Hospital in Middlesbrough. He is now based at the clinical psychology department of the North and West Belfast Health and Social Services Trust.
One of the paramilitaries repeatedly saw images of the man he had shot, according to Dr Pollack, whose work is aimed at reducing distress related to the symptoms suffered by many of the killers, such as nightmares and flashbacks.
Mr William Frazer, of FAIR (for victims of republican paramilitary violence), has described the study as an "utter disgrace". He said his group had applied to the NHS for funding for similar counselling, but had been refused because of a lack of facilities.
"How far is this whole policy of appeasement of the paramilitaries going to be taken by the government? Some consideration should be shown to the victims. This is another example of victims being trampled on," he said.
Mr Vincent McKenna, of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Bureau, said he found it hard to believe that post-traumatic stress disorder would be a central problem for paramilitaries. "The only troubles that I've found released prisoners are experiencing is for them to try and break the addiction to drugs they formed while in prison."
Mr McKenna yesterday released figures which claim that 4,808 women in the North have suffered from paramilitary violence since the signing of the Belfast Agreement.
Most had been intimidated from their homes or exiled. Others had been beaten, widowed, held at gunpoint, raped or mutilated. A total of 14 women were killed by paramilitaries, including 12 victims of the Omagh bombing, Mrs Elizabeth O'Neill in Portadown and solicitor Ms Rosemary Nelson.