Harry Roberts, pictured in 1966, said he believes the justice system is too soft on young criminals today . Harry Roberts, the police killer who was jailed for life for murdering three officers, said he believes young criminals now get off too lightly. Roberts, 78, is believed to have been released from prison after serving 48 years behind bars for killing three unarmed officers in London in 1966. He was given three life sentences by Mr Justice Hildreth Glyn-Jones at the time who denounced his the murders as 'the most heinous crime for a generation or more.' A recent decision to release him by the Parole Board has been widely criticised, but Roberts said he regrets his crimes but believes he has served his time. The pensioner has claimed to have been appalled at the light sentences now being given to younger criminals who frequently escape with community sentences rather than being locked up. He told Radio Times: 'I can't believe how lightly those kids get off when they are caught. 'It's a joke, in my day it would have been two or three years in prison.' In the previously unpublished interview, done six years ago, Roberts also criticises the work of prison psychologists who he said were obsessed with finding a reason lurking in his childhood memories that led him to pull the trigger 48 years ago. He said they did not understand his background in the Army or that he had changed since the murders. He claimed he no longer wanted to be the killer who went on the run and tried to escape prison in the early days of his sentence. And in a rare moment Roberts admitted he regrets the murders and would feel the same if someone had killed his mother. He also accepts the criticism of his release. Harry Roberts (right), pictured in 2009 with a prison guard in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire before his release . Pc Geoffrey Fox, 41, (left), Detective Constable David Wombwell, 25, (centre) and Detective Sergeant Christopher Head (right), 30, were all killed in the attack on August 12 1966 by Harry Roberts and his gang . 'Of course I regret it,' he said. 'I totally understand why the families of the policemen could never forgive me and wouldn't want me released.' Roberts, Duddy and Witney were sat in a van near Wormwood Scrubs prison on August 12, 1966, planning an armed robbery with a Luger pistol . They were approached by the three plain clothes unarmed police officers who had suspected there had been a jail escape . Roberts shot at the policemen in Braybrook Street while children were playing nearby . He killed Det Con Wombell and chased and shot Sergeant Head . Harry Roberts in 1966 . One of his accomplices then shot Geoffrey Fox . Roberts went on the run for three months and when he was caught he was sentenced to life in prison . His two accomplices are now both dead . Roberts was jailed for the three murders in 1966. He had been sitting with accomplices John Duddy and John Witney in a van near Wormwood Scrubs prison in West London planning an armed robbery. When the officers, who were not armed, came over to the van, Roberts shot Detective Constable David Wombwell and Detective Sergeant Christopher Head. A member of his gang shot a third officer, PC Geoffrey Fox. The former soldier then went on the run for three months until he was found near Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, living in a camouflaged den made out of plastic bags and branches. His disappearance sparked Scotland Yard's biggest ever manhunt. Roberts was given three life sentences with a minimum term of 30 years. Mr Justice Glyn-Jones told him it was unlikely a Home Secretary would ever consider him for release. The judge's daughter has since said her father regarded Roberts as evil and would have sentenced him to death if he could have done. However the death penalty had been abolished the year before the case was heard at the Old Bailey. Roberts, then 30, remained on the run for 96 days – sparking Scotland Yard's biggest ever manhunt to find him . Roberts also failed in a plea to be released five years ago after it emerged he had made death threats to a woman working at an animal sanctuary. Joan Cartwright had complained about his behaviour when he was working at the East Midlands sanctuary in 2001 on day release from prison. Mr Justice Hildreth Glyn-Jones sentenced him to life . When Roberts learned she had given evidence against him he made threats to kill her and her husband, calling them up to five times a week from jail. Roberts has now been deemed eligible for release by the Parole Board. This assesses the cases of prisoners who have been sentenced to life in prison once their minimum tariff - in this case 30 years - has passed. For a prisoner to be released they have to be assessed as no longer posing a risk of causing serious harm. He is understood to have left Littlehey Prison in Cambridge and is expected to go to a bail hostel. The Metropolitan Police Federation has denounced the decision to release Roberts as a betrayal of police by the justice system.
Harry Roberts was given three life sentences for 1966 murder of the officers .
Parole Board said he could be released after serving 48 years in prison .
Roberts, who is understood to have been freed, said he regretted murders .
He said many young criminals are getting off with community sentences .
He branded modern criminal justice system a 'joke' for light punishments .
Harry Roberts, pictured in 1966, said he believes the justice system is too soft on young criminals today . Harry Roberts, the police killer who was jailed for life for murdering three officers, said he believes young criminals now get off too lightly. Roberts, 78, is believed to have been released from prison after serving 48 years behind bars for killing three unarmed officers in London in 1966. He was given three life sentences by Mr Justice Hildreth Glyn-Jones at the time who denounced his the murders as 'the most heinous crime for a generation or more.' A recent decision to release him by the Parole Board has been widely criticised, but Roberts said he regrets his crimes but believes he has served his time. The pensioner has claimed to have been appalled at the light sentences now being given to younger criminals who frequently escape with community sentences rather than being locked up. He told Radio Times: 'I can't believe how lightly those kids get off when they are caught. 'It's a joke, in my day it would have been two or three years in prison.' In the previously unpublished interview, done six years ago, Roberts also criticises the work of prison psychologists who he said were obsessed with finding a reason lurking in his childhood memories that led him to pull the trigger 48 years ago. He said they did not understand his background in the Army or that he had changed since the murders. He claimed he no longer wanted to be the killer who went on the run and tried to escape prison in the early days of his sentence. And in a rare moment Roberts admitted he regrets the murders and would feel the same if someone had killed his mother. He also accepts the criticism of his release. Harry Roberts (right), pictured in 2009 with a prison guard in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire before his release . Pc Geoffrey Fox, 41, (left), Detective Constable David Wombwell, 25, (centre) and Detective Sergeant Christopher Head (right), 30, were all killed in the attack on August 12 1966 by Harry Roberts and his gang . 'Of course I regret it,' he said. 'I totally understand why the families of the policemen could never forgive me and wouldn't want me released.' Roberts, Duddy and Witney were sat in a van near Wormwood Scrubs prison on August 12, 1966, planning an armed robbery with a Luger pistol . They were approached by the three plain clothes unarmed police officers who had suspected there had been a jail escape . Roberts shot at the policemen in Braybrook Street while children were playing nearby . He killed Det Con Wombell and chased and shot Sergeant Head . Harry Roberts in 1966 . One of his accomplices then shot Geoffrey Fox . Roberts went on the run for three months and when he was caught he was sentenced to life in prison . His two accomplices are now both dead . Roberts was jailed for the three murders in 1966. He had been sitting with accomplices John Duddy and John Witney in a van near Wormwood Scrubs prison in West London planning an armed robbery. When the officers, who were not armed, came over to the van, Roberts shot Detective Constable David Wombwell and Detective Sergeant Christopher Head. A member of his gang shot a third officer, PC Geoffrey Fox. The former soldier then went on the run for three months until he was found near Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, living in a camouflaged den made out of plastic bags and branches. His disappearance sparked Scotland Yard's biggest ever manhunt. Roberts was given three life sentences with a minimum term of 30 years. Mr Justice Glyn-Jones told him it was unlikely a Home Secretary would ever consider him for release. The judge's daughter has since said her father regarded Roberts as evil and would have sentenced him to death if he could have done. However the death penalty had been abolished the year before the case was heard at the Old Bailey. Roberts, then 30, remained on the run for 96 days – sparking Scotland Yard's biggest ever manhunt to find him . Roberts also failed in a plea to be released five years ago after it emerged he had made death threats to a woman working at an animal sanctuary. Joan Cartwright had complained about his behaviour when he was working at the East Midlands sanctuary in 2001 on day release from prison. Mr Justice Hildreth Glyn-Jones sentenced him to life . When Roberts learned she had given evidence against him he made threats to kill her and her husband, calling them up to five times a week from jail. Roberts has now been deemed eligible for release by the Parole Board. This assesses the cases of prisoners who have been sentenced to life in prison once their minimum tariff - in this case 30 years - has passed. For a prisoner to be released they have to be assessed as no longer posing a risk of causing serious harm. He is understood to have left Littlehey Prison in Cambridge and is expected to go to a bail hostel. The Metropolitan Police Federation has denounced the decision to release Roberts as a betrayal of police by the justice system.
Harry Roberts, pictured in 1966, said he believes said he believes young criminals now get off too released from prison after serving 48 years London in 1966. He was given three life sentences years in prison.' In the previously unpublished for release by the Parole Board. This assesses the cases of prisoners who have been sentenced to is understood to have left Littlehey Prison in police by the justice system.