Pearse Jordan: 'Impossible to reach conclusions' over IRA man's death

Pearse Jordan, 22, was shot by police on the Falls Road in west Belfast in 1992

A coroner has said it is impossible to reach conclusions about the killing of an IRA man in west Belfast in 1992.

Pearse Jordan was shot in the back by an RUC officer as he ran from a stolen car he was driving on the Falls Road.

The controversial killing has been claimed by some as evidence of a so-called shoot to kill policy.

However, on Monday Mr Justice Horner said he did not accept that there was any evidence that the officer involved was a "cold callous killer".

The coroner did, however, criticise police record keeping and said that some officers had, almost certainly, lied in their evidence to the inquest.

It is the third inquest held into the 22-year-old's killing.

Lawyers representing Mr Jordan's family said that they welcomed the coroner's assessment that the police "failed to provide a satisfactory and convincing explanation for the use of lethal force".

However, they were disappointed that he did not conclude on the evidence that the shooting "was unjustified".

The lawyers said they would now study the detailed verdict closely with Mr Jordan's parents.