PSNI's Peter Sheridan says scheme was 'extraordinary' 11 November 2014 Last updated at 15:33 A former senior Northern Ireland police officer has described the On The Runs scheme as "extraordinary." Former assistant chief constable Peter Sheridan was giving evidence to MPs investigating On The Runs letters. The scheme was made public after the collapse of a case against Donegal man John Downey in February, over the 1982 Hyde Park bombing. Mr Downey was wrongly told he was not wanted by any UK police force but he was still being sought by the Met. Mr Sheridan, who was once the most senior Catholic police officer in Northern Ireland, is appearing before the Northern Ireland Affairs Select Committee at Westminster. The committee is looking at how more than 200 people were told they were not wanted for paramilitary crimes committed before the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. In February, a judge dismissed Mr Downey's case when it emerged he had a letter from government officials mistakenly telling him he was not wanted by any UK police force.