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{{short description|British Army soldier|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
] '''Lee Clegg''' is a ] soldier who was convicted of murder for his involvement in the shooting dead of two teenage ] in West ], ]. His conviction was later overturned.
] '''Lee Clegg''' (born c. 1969)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/onthefrontline/2546776/Lee-Clegg-returns-to-frontline-duty-for-first-time-since-prison-release.html|title=Lee Clegg returns to frontline duty for first time since prison release|first=Richard Alleyne and Thomas|last=Harding|date=12 August 2008|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}</ref> is a ] soldier who was convicted of murder for his involvement in the shooting dead of one teenage ] in West ], ]. His conviction was later overturned.


==Shooting== ==Shooting==
The shooting took place in West Belfast on 30 September 1990. Clegg, then a ] originally from ], ], and his fellow soldiers Barry Aindow, Samuel Wade, Private Simon Cooper, Lt Andrew Oliver, manning the checkpoint on the Upper Glen Road, fired nineteen bullets into a stolen ] that passed through their checkpoint travelling at high speed. Clegg fired four of the bullets, the last of which killed 18 year old passenger Karen Reilly. The driver, 17 year old Martin Peake, also died at the scene, and the third passenger, Markiewicz Gorman, escaped with minor injuries. The shooting took place in West ] on 30 September 1990. Clegg, then a ] originally from ], ], and his fellow soldiers manning the checkpoint on the Upper Glen Road, fired nineteen bullets into a stolen ] that passed through their checkpoint travelling at high speed. Clegg fired four of the bullets, the last of which killed 18-year-old passenger Karen Reilly. The driver, 17-year-old Martin Peake, also died at the scene, and the third passenger, Markiewicz Gorman, escaped with minor injuries.


==Sentencing== ==Sentencing==
Clegg was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 1993, the court having decided that lethal force had been used without a lawful purpose. The fourth bullet was said to have been fired through the back of the car as it was leaving the checkpoint and was therefore no longer a threat to the soldiers. The murder conviction was condemned by ] and some British newspapers, including the '']'', which began a campaign for Clegg's release on the grounds that he was just doing his job in difficult circumstances. Clegg was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 1993, the court having decided that lethal force had been used without a lawful purpose. The fourth bullet was said to have been fired through the back of the car as it was leaving the checkpoint and was therefore no longer a threat to the soldiers. The murder conviction was condemned by ] and some newspapers, including the '']'', which began a campaign for Clegg's release on the grounds that he was just doing his job in difficult circumstances.{{cn|date=January 2021}}


==Release and aftermath== ==Release and aftermath==
Clegg was released under licence by then ] ] in 1995, which in turn led to rioting in nationalist areas of Belfast. ] repeatedly called the decision a "threat to the ]". Clegg was released under licence by then ] ] in 1995, which in turn led to rioting in Irish nationalist areas of Belfast. ] repeatedly called the decision a "threat to the ]".
The release followed after a test shooting on another Astra conducted by pathologist ] and forensic expert Graham Renshaw on 4 June 1995.<ref>{{Cite book The release followed after a test shooting on another Astra conducted by pathologist ] and forensic expert Graham Renshaw on 4 June 1995.<ref>{{Cite book
| author = Chester Stern | author = Chester Stern
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==Appeals== ==Appeals==
A set of appeals to the ] and ] led to the quashing of the murder conviction in 1998 and a re-trial in March 1999, on the grounds that new evidence suggested that the fourth bullet entered the side of the car. At the retrial Clegg was cleared of murder, but a conviction for "attempting to wound" the driver of the car, Martin Peake, who also died in the incident, was upheld. The junior lawyer for Clegg was ].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Kenber |first1=Billy |last2=Kennedy |first2=Dominic |date=2024-07-01 |title=How the young Keir Starmer made his name as a ‘radical’ barrister |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/keir-starmer-human-rights-lawyer-barrister-b5skd7zmp |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=]|language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240701104002/https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/keir-starmer-human-rights-lawyer-barrister-b5skd7zmp |archive-date=2024-07-01 |url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-13 |title='We learn nothing new, gain no insights, plumb no hidden depths': Alan Johnson reviews Keir Starmer: The Unauthorised Biography |url=https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/we-learn-nothing-new-gain-no-insights-plumb-no-hidden-depths-alan-johnson-reviews-keir-starmer-the-unauthorised-biography |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Politics Home |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226111530/https://www.politicshome.com/thehouse/article/we-learn-nothing-new-gain-no-insights-plumb-no-hidden-depths-alan-johnson-reviews-keir-starmer-the-unauthorised-biography |archive-date=2024-02-26}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Plaut |first=Martin |date=2021-03-24 |title=Keir Starmer: Who is he, really? |url=https://martinplaut.com/2021/03/24/keir-starmer-who-is-he-really/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=Martin Plaut |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231010164904/https://martinplaut.com/2021/03/24/keir-starmer-who-is-he-really/ |archive-date=2023-10-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Seymour |first=Richard |date=2022-04-28 |title=Tell us who you really are, Keir Starmer |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2022/04/tell-us-who-you-really-are-keir-starmer |access-date=2024-07-01 |website=New Statesman |language=en-US |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240615183726/https://www.newstatesman.com/ideas/2022/04/tell-us-who-you-really-are-keir-starmer |archive-date=2024-06-15}}</ref>
A set of appeals to the ] and ] led to the quashing of the murder conviction in 1998 and a re-trial in March 1999, on the grounds that new evidence suggested that the fourth bullet entered the side of the car. At the retrial Clegg was cleared of murder, but a conviction for "attempting to wound" the driver of the car, Martin Peake, who also died in the incident, was upheld.


Another appeal, this time at the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal, led to that lesser conviction also being overturned on 31 January 2000 due to uncertainty, that evidence which initially suggested Clegg's final bullet was fired '''after''' the vehicle had passed, was accurate. Clegg currently serves as part of 16 Air assault brigade. On 12 September 2007 it was reported by the ] that Clegg would be serving in Afghanistan in 2008 as combat medic with the 2nd Battalion ].<ref></ref> Another appeal, this time at the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal, led to that lesser conviction also being overturned on 31 January 2000 owing to uncertainty over the accuracy of evidence that initially suggested Clegg's final bullet was fired after the vehicle had passed.

Clegg continued to serve as part of ]. In September 2007 the ] reported that Clegg would be serving in Afghanistan in 2008 as combat medic with the 2nd Battalion ].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iraq/1501255/15-years-after-killing-joyrider-Lee-Clegg-is-put-back-in-the-line.html|title=15 years after killing joyrider, Lee Clegg is put back in the line|author=Sean Rayment|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=23 October 2005|accessdate=7 June 2014}}</ref>


==References== ==References==
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==Bibliography== ==Bibliography==
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| DATE OF BIRTH =
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Clegg, Lee}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Clegg, Lee}}
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Latest revision as of 09:55, 12 December 2024

British Army soldier

Sergeant Lee Clegg (born c. 1969) is a British Army soldier who was convicted of murder for his involvement in the shooting dead of one teenage joyrider in West Belfast, Northern Ireland. His conviction was later overturned.

Shooting

The shooting took place in West Belfast on 30 September 1990. Clegg, then a private originally from Bradford, England, and his fellow soldiers manning the checkpoint on the Upper Glen Road, fired nineteen bullets into a stolen Vauxhall Astra that passed through their checkpoint travelling at high speed. Clegg fired four of the bullets, the last of which killed 18-year-old passenger Karen Reilly. The driver, 17-year-old Martin Peake, also died at the scene, and the third passenger, Markiewicz Gorman, escaped with minor injuries.

Sentencing

Clegg was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder in 1993, the court having decided that lethal force had been used without a lawful purpose. The fourth bullet was said to have been fired through the back of the car as it was leaving the checkpoint and was therefore no longer a threat to the soldiers. The murder conviction was condemned by unionists and some newspapers, including the Daily Mail, which began a campaign for Clegg's release on the grounds that he was just doing his job in difficult circumstances.

Release and aftermath

Clegg was released under licence by then Northern Ireland Secretary Patrick Mayhew in 1995, which in turn led to rioting in Irish nationalist areas of Belfast. Sinn Féin repeatedly called the decision a "threat to the peace process". The release followed after a test shooting on another Astra conducted by pathologist Iain West and forensic expert Graham Renshaw on 4 June 1995.

Appeals

A set of appeals to the Court of Appeal and House of Lords led to the quashing of the murder conviction in 1998 and a re-trial in March 1999, on the grounds that new evidence suggested that the fourth bullet entered the side of the car. At the retrial Clegg was cleared of murder, but a conviction for "attempting to wound" the driver of the car, Martin Peake, who also died in the incident, was upheld. The junior lawyer for Clegg was Keir Starmer.

Another appeal, this time at the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal, led to that lesser conviction also being overturned on 31 January 2000 owing to uncertainty over the accuracy of evidence that initially suggested Clegg's final bullet was fired after the vehicle had passed.

Clegg continued to serve as part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. In September 2007 the Daily Mail reported that Clegg would be serving in Afghanistan in 2008 as combat medic with the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment.

References

  1. Harding, Richard Alleyne and Thomas (12 August 2008). "Lee Clegg returns to frontline duty for first time since prison release" – via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  2. Chester Stern (1996). Dr Iain West's Casebook: The Chilling Investigations of Britain's Leading Forensic Pathologist. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-87788-3.
  3. Kenber, Billy; Kennedy, Dominic (1 July 2024). "How the young Keir Starmer made his name as a 'radical' barrister". The Times. Archived from the original on 1 July 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  4. "'We learn nothing new, gain no insights, plumb no hidden depths': Alan Johnson reviews Keir Starmer: The Unauthorised Biography". Politics Home. 13 July 2021. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  5. Plaut, Martin (24 March 2021). "Keir Starmer: Who is he, really?". Martin Plaut. Archived from the original on 10 October 2023. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  6. Seymour, Richard (28 April 2022). "Tell us who you really are, Keir Starmer". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  7. Sean Rayment (23 October 2005). "15 years after killing joyrider, Lee Clegg is put back in the line". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 June 2014.

Bibliography

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