AN IRISH nationalist politician has condemned a £25,000 Ministry of Defence back pay award to paratrooper Lee Clegg for his time in jail in relation to shooting at a stolen car in which two west Belfast teenagers were killed.

Last year, Corporal Clegg was a physical training instructor at the Army training centre at Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire. He was released on licence in 1995 after serving two years over the incident and later cleared.

But SDLP justice spokesman Alex Attwood said yesterday: "There remains a deep sense of offence over the incident in which Clegg was involved.

"This announcement gives more importance to conditions of employment than human rights concerns - a very real case of getting priorities wrong."

The MoD confirmed Clegg had now received his £35 daily pay and pension entitlement in a lump sum