Soldier pay award criticised

Two teenagers died when an army patrol opened fire

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that a soldier has been awarded £25,000 in backpay for the time he spent in jail over the deaths of two teenagers in west Belfast.

Corporal Lee Clegg, now 31, was jailed for life in 1993 for murdering Karen Reilly, 18 and wounding Martin Peake, 17.

Alex Attwood: Criticised pay award

The convictions were later quashed.

Describing the pay award as insensitive, the Social Democratic and Labour Party assemblyman for West Belfast, Alex Attwood, said answers to the Peake and Reilly families' questions were long overdue.

Mr Attwood said: "That has to be the priority.

"That is where the state should now invest its time and resources rather that invest its time and resources elsewhere."

Soldiers opened fire on the stolen car in which Karen Reilly and Martin Peake were travelling, as it was driven along the Glen Road in Belfast in 1990.

They alleged it was driven through a checkpoint.

Clegg said afterwards that he had feared a terrorist attack.

Lee Clegg: Convictions were quashed

Two years after his conviction he was freed on licence following a campaign by supporters for his early release.

In March 1999, Clegg was cleared of the murder conviction after a long legal process and a retrial.

The wounding conviction was quashed in January.

In March, he was promoted to the rank of corporal in the Parachute Regiment.

The MoD said that having been found innocent by the courts Lee Clegg was entitled to receive the backpay and pension contributions for the time he spent in jail.