19/06/2018

Soldier Charged Over Aidan McAnespie Murder

A soldier has been charged in relation to the shooting a man in Tyrone in 1988.

Aidan McAnespie, 23, was killed at an Army checkpoint in Aughnacloy.

The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has said it intends to prosecute a former Grenadier Guardsman for gross negligence manslaughter.

A PPS spokesperson said: "Following careful consideration of all the evidence currently available in the case, and having received advice from senior counsel, it has been decided to prosecute a former soldier for the offence of gross negligence manslaughter.

"That evidence includes further expert evidence in relation to the circumstances in which the general purpose machine gun was discharged, thereby resulting in the ricochet shot which killed Mr McAnespie."

Mr McAnespie was on his way to a GAA club when he was shot by the solider, who claimed his hands were wet and his finger slipped on the trigger.

A guardsman was initially charged with manslaughter however the charge was dropped.

(CD/MH)

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