The British Army paratrooper, Lee Clegg, has been acquitted of the murder of the Belfast teenager, Karen Reilly. However, he was found guilty at Belfast Crown Court on a second charge of attempting to wound with intent the driver of the car involved in the shooting, in September, 1990, Martin Peake; who also died in the incident.
The judge, Mr Justice Kerr, began delivering his ruling at Belfast Crown Court this morning. At the end of a judgement running to one hundred and ninety pages, he said that Private Lee Clegg was to be cleared of the charge of murdering Catholic teenager Karen Reilly in 1990. He said that this was because he could not be certain it was the defendant who had fired the fatal bullet.
The judge said, “I think it is very likely that he did, but I cannot be sure of it". The decision to acquit Lee Clegg overturned the original guilty verdict of 1993, which was later upheld both on appeal and by the House of Lords in London.
In an earlier part of his judgement today, Mr. Justice Kerr said that he was satisfied Clegg had been lying in parts of is evidence. He said that on the night of the killings, one soldier in the patrol had been assaulted by another member in an attempt to suggest he had been struck by the stolen car.
There was considerable confusion in the court when the final part of the judgement was read. Lee Clegg looked down and wept as he finally realised the outcome. The parachute regiment soldier was convicted on the lesser charge of attempted wounding, and was released on bail, pending sentence later.
On hearing the verdict Karen Reilly’s father Sean, left the court buildings, and declined to make any comment to waiting reporters.
