Attorney General orders fresh inquest into Manus Deery's shooting

Manus Deery, 15, was shot dead in the Bogside in May 1972

Manus Deery, 15, was shot dead in the Bogside in May 1972

The attorney general has agreed to open a fresh inquest into the shooting of a Londonderry teenager by the Army 40 years ago.

Manus Deery, 15, was shot dead in the Bogside in May 1972.

The Army maintains that a soldier in a lookout post on Derry's walls fired at what appeared to be a gunman about 200 metres away, missed, and that the ricochet fatally injured the teenager.

His family have always disputed the Army's version.

The teenager's family have now received a letter from Attorney General John Larkin saying that he had ordered a new inquest into the killing.

Mr Deery's sister, Helen, said: "I welcome the news and feel it is only right and fitting that a full and proper inquest be held into the circumstances of Manus's killing.

'Whitewash'

"This new inquest will give all of those involved, witnesses and soldiers, the chance to tell the truth. After 40 years it is the least my young brother deserves."

In a letter to solicitors for the Deery family the attorney general said: "I have considered all the material that has been supplied; written submissions, a report by the PSNI Historical Enquiries Team (HET), the post mortem report, photographs, maps and coronial papers including the original inquest (held in July 1973) verdict and findings.

"Following the consideration of these materials I have concluded that it is advisable that a fresh inquest be held into the death of Manus Deery and I so direct."

He said he had taken into account that the soldier who fired the fatal shot, referred to as soldier A, had passed away in 2001. But he said another soldier could be called by a coroner at the new inquest.

The request for a new inquest was made under the Coroner's Act. The previous inquest returned an open verdict.

In February, the family criticised an Historical Enquiries Team report into the teenager's death as a "whitewash".

No date has yet been set for the new inquest, although it is thought it will take place in October.