Jon Boutcher

The Northern Ireland Policing Board confirmed the appointment yesterday after it was approved by Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.

Deirdre Toner, chair of the Policing Board, said: “The appointment of Jon Boutcher as interim chief constable will bring stability to the leadership of the PSNI and the service executive team until the substantive appointment chief constable process has been completed.

“The Board looks forward to working with Mr Boutcher and the wider service executive team as we progress the issues and pressures currently facing policing.”

Mr Boutcher is the head of the long-running investigation into the alleged activities of the Provisional IRA informer codenamed “Stakeknife”, which is expected to soon publish its interim report.