British government welcomes back its convicted army murderers

["James Daly" <james.irldaly@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Call to dismiss soldiers rejected
The government has rejected new demands to dismiss two soldiers from
the Army who were convicted of murdering a Belfast teenager.
Peter McBride was shot dead as he ran away from a foot patrol in
Belfast's New Lodge area in 1992.

Two months ago the Court of Appeal ruled that Scots Guardsmen Mark
Wright and James Fisher should not have been allowed back into the
army after they were found guilty of killing the 18-year-old.

However, the court stopped short of ordering the army to dismiss them.

Mr McBride's family has condemned the decision.

The pair were sentenced to life for murder in 1995, but three years
later were released from prison and allowed to rejoin their regiment.

The Court of Appeal stopped short of ordering the Army to dismiss the
two soldiers, but made a legal declaration that the reasons adopted by
the Army Board were not so exceptional as to permit the retention of
the two soldiers.

At their trial, Wright and Fisher said they believed Peter McBride was
carrying a bomb.

But the judge, Lord Justice Kelly, found they were lying as they had
already stopped and searched him.



Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/3152401.stm

Published: 2003/08/14 20:09:46 GMT

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