THE mother of a North-East soldier killed in Northern Ireland will meet police chiefs to demand a new investigation into his death.

Liz Green's son, Corporal Anthony Green, of Stanley, County Durham, was shot in the head on January 24, 2001 at Shackleton barracks, Ballykelly.

Private William Graham, a member of a specialist platoon, was charged with unlawfully killing him and sentenced to two years' imprisonment.

He launched an appeal but last night it was announced that it had been rejected and the sentence upheld.

The announcement came as Mrs Green called for her son's death to be re-investigated.

She plans to meet representatives from the former Royal Ulster Constabulary, who carried out the original investigation.

Mrs Green said: "I want to go over the questions that I still need answering.

"We were kept completely in the dark after Tony's death and when we were told nine months later that somebody had been charged with killing him, it was like a bolt from the blue."

Belfast Crown Court heard that Pte Graham was in a vehicle with his weapon on his knees when the rifle discharged, hitting Cpl Green as he walked by.

A lance corporal had earlier checked the weapon to ensure the safety catch was on.

Mrs Green said she was originally told that he was killed by a ricochet on a firing range but more than 28 hours later, was informed the shot came from another weapon.

Police scene-of-crime officers took more than two and a half hours to reach the barracks after Cpl Green was shot because they went to the wrong place, she said.

Footage from security cameras only yards from the scene were never produced and there were discrepancies over the type of vehicle that had been involved, she said.

A spokesman for the police service of Northern Ireland said: "The matter was fully investigated and brought before the courts, where a man was convicted by jury of manslaughter.

"There have been regular meetings with the family over the past two years and a meeting had been arranged for July, but was postponed at the request of Mrs Green.

"Another meeting between Mrs Green, her legal team, and a senior detective is being arranged for later this month."