Family of murdered Belfast teen loses latest legal battle

The family of an unarmed Catholic teenager who was shot dead by British soldiers in north Belfast 13 years ago has lost its latest legal bid to have his killers expelled from the British army.

Eighteen-year-old Peter McBride, a father-of-two, was shot dead while running away from a checkpoint in the New Lodge area in September 1992.

Two soldiers, Mark Wright and James Fisher, were convicted of his murder, but served just three years in prison before being allowed back into the British army.

Mr McBride's mother, Jean, was seeking a judicial review of the move before Belfast High Court, but the presiding judge rejected her application today.

She vowed afterwards to take her case to the European Court of Human Rights, saying: "I don't think there is a judge in Northern Ireland that has got the bottle to stand against Tony Blair, the establishment and the security forces."