Northern Ireland’s Attorney General has ordered a fresh inquest into the death of Donegal man Michael Leonard.
The 24 year old was shot dead almost 51 years ago by the RUC at the border between Belleek and Pettigo.
In what has been described as a landmark decision, the Attorney General’s made the announcement yesterday, a day before Britain’s Legacy Act comes into force.
According to charity Paper Trail, the North’s Attorney General, Brenda King, ordered the new inquest, after taking a number of factors into account.
They include that the original inquest did not receive oral evidence from any of the police officers involved in the incident and that new evidence in the form of army logs which are capable of casting doubt on the version of events provided to the inquest by the police.
The Royal Ulster Constabulary testified at the original inquest that one of its officers – not in attendance at the inquest – had accidentally fired a shot that had hit Michael.
Discoveries by Paper Trail, in London archives are said to prove that the RUC lied and its officers fired multiple shots at the unarmed civilian, chased him in their vehicle and then deliberately shot him as he neared the sanctuary of the Irish Republic and his home in Pettigo.
The Attorney General ordered a new inquest just as Britain legislates to stop all such inquests.
