MoD apology to shot teen's family

Daniel was shot dead during Operation Motorman

The government has apologised to the family of a Londonderry teenager shot dead by the Army 35 years ago.

The Ministry of Defence has withdrawn a document, assessing the Army's role in Northern Ireland, in which it described Daniel Hegarty as a terrorist.

The document, released in June, had also incorrectly claimed the 15-year-old was armed.

Daniel was shot dead by a soldier in the Creggan area of Derry during Operation Motorman in July 1972.

The Ministry of Defence has written to the family and apologised.

It has said it accepts that Daniel was innocent and that the reference to him as a terrorist was inaccurate.

The MoD also apologised for the considerable distress the claim must have caused the family and has withdrawn the document from its website.

The Hegarty family said it welcomed the apology.

Stephanie English from the Pat Finucane Centre said it was a "small victory for the Hegarty family".

Writing on the centre's website, she added: "We do feel it important to set the record straight." .