2 February 2006 Edition

Resize: A A A Print

PSNI man drove at nationalist protestors

A former PSNI member was found guilty of dangerous driving after he drove his armour plated Land Rover at nationalist protestors on the Springfield Road in June 2002.

Alan Alexander Leckey was fined £400 and banned from driving for 18 months when he appeared at Belfast's Laganside Court on Monday 30 January.

The fine and disqualification was the same penalty imposed when he was first convicted at Belfast Magistrate Court two years ago.

Leckey, whose address was given as Musgrave Street PSNI Barracks, was originally found guilty of the charge in December 2003 but appealed and had his conviction quashed on a point of law and a retrial ordered.

Sitting at the retrial Judge Piers Grant found Leckey, who retired from the PSNI, guilty.

The court was told that Leckey's Land Rover was the last in a column of armoured vehicles and that instead of following the convoy along the Springfield Road Leckey veered onto waste ground at speed.

The PSNI man drove towards a group of nationalist residents who were protesting against an Orange March, forcing them to jump out of the way.

Grant described Leckey's driving as "quite disgraceful" and said he had put at risk the lives of women and children when he drove onto waste land causing them to scatter and take evasive action.

Grant said: "it is with considerable regret that I conclude that the driving has all the appearance of an act designed to frighten those on the waste ground, as a parting shot to those left behind."

The prosecution followed an investigation by the Police Ombudsman's Office after complaints were lodged by two American observers who supplied video evidence of the incident.


An Phoblacht
44 Parnell Sq.
Dublin 1
Ireland