Former UDR man loses third murder appeal

A former UDR man jailed for murder is to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights after losing an appeal against his…

A former UDR man jailed for murder is to take his case to the European Court of Human Rights after losing an appeal against his conviction in a Belfast Court today.

Neil Latimer directed abusive language to the judges this morning after they upheld his conviction for the murder of Adrian Carroll (24) in Armagh city 20 years ago. Latimer has served 14 years of his life sentence.

He was lead away from the Appeal Court today shouting: "Why do you think I went through all of this? There is no justice."

His lawyer immediately announced they would be taking the case to Strasbourg. Mr Joe Rice said: "It is over 20 years since this dastardly murder was committed, but a miscarriage of justice has still to be put right.

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"We have exhausted our appellate rights in Northern Ireland and we will be lodging papers, including the three Appeal Court judgments, for consideration of the European Court of Human Rights at the earliest opportunity."

Latimer was released from prison under licence in 1998 after being convicted of ambushing and shooting Mr Carroll three times as he walked home from work on November 1983.

Latimer was one of four soldiers in the Ulster Defence Regiment jailed for the murder in July 1986, but the other three were later freed on appeal.

His case against conviction centred on the reliability of evidence from a woman who allegedly saw him near the scene of the shooting. Latimer also retracted a confession to the police, claiming they were made under duress.

Latimer's third appeal was heard last November in front of the then Lord Chief Justice Sir Robert Carswell, Mr Justice Campbell and Mr Justice Nicholson.

PA