March 1999

"Liar" Lee Clegg acquitted of murder (March 15)

£500,000 to go on more spy cameras (10 March)

 SHOOTING THE MESSENGER (27 February)

 "Liar" Lee Clegg acquitted of murder

Paratrooper Lee Clegg was acquitted of the murder of teenager Karen Reilly last Thursday, after the judge branded him a "liar".

Clegg was first convicted of her murder in 1993 after paratroopers blasted the car she was in during a patrol in Belfast in September 1990.

A retrial was ordered last year.

Delivering his 187 page judgement, Mr Justice Kerr, sitting in a Diplock court without a jury, spent the first 186 pages lambasting Clegg. He said of Clegg: "His evidence on the positions occupied by him when the car was approaching was a farrago of untruths and impossible claims born out of a desperate bid to distance himself as much as possible from Aindow." Private Aindow had been the centre of an attempt to cover up the soldiers actions.

9 bullets had entered the Astra from the back, and the judge was certain at least one of those had been fired by Clegg. He said it was also most likely that it was this bullet that killed Karen Reilly. But because new evidence indicated it might possibly have been a bullet fired earlier, he had no choice but to acquit.

See previous posting

See also feature "They shoot joyriders don't they?"

£500,000 to go on more spy cameras

Bradford councillors welcomed plans to expand the district's CCTV scheme, after brushing aside protests that the city's review was a farce.

Councillors on the city Highways Sub-Committee sat stoney-faced through the 15 minute public question and answer session at the start of the meeting.

They were there to discuss a proposed expansion of the CCTV system, after a review concluded it had helped cut crime and been welcomed by the public.

But representatives from the Trades Council and the 1 in 12 Club argued that the council had reneged on promises of public consultation, that the review was seriously flawed and its conclusions unsubstantiated.

Coun Phil Thornton, sub-committee chairman, read out a series of pre-prepared replies, brushing aside objections from the questioners.

The plans to expand the system include extending coverage in Keighley with one new camera and up-dating the Bradford city centre system.

The council has been in talks with Vodaphone about a shared project to put up telecommunication poles in the city which could then double as CCTV posts.

Welcoming the expansion plans, Coun Slater said: "This is a welcome addition to the provision of CCTV in Keighley, to fill an obvious gap. I wholeheartedly approve this move."

And in touching moment of unity between Tory and Labour, Coun Harrison said: "In general anything that gives assurance to the public at large and reduces criminal activity is to be welcomed."

Faking It - How the Council's "evaluation" was rigged 

See also - Letters

 "This was not just mismanagement. In my view, based on the evidence I've got from a number of sources, this was deliberate and systematic fraud by officers of the council"

SHOOTING THE MESSENGER

Exactly one year ago government officials swooped on the councils flagship training centre at Metrochange House. They were acting in response to allegations of malpractice and fraud - allegations submitted in desperation by members of staff.

They carried away all the completed NVQ student portfolios they could find, and began interviewing staff about events dating back over 2 years.

The move sent shock waves through the local authority.

Within 4 months the investigation had spread to all the councils training centres. Within 6 months every single NVQ issued by Metrochange House since January 1996 had been invalidated.

8 months after the initial raid, the training centre at Metrochange House was closed for good.

Now, one year on, the councils own internal inquiry has yet to produce its report on what happened.

Amid allegations of a council cover-up, KDIS investigates.

Full story

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