Northern Ireland

RUC officer who shot Pearse Jordan ‘said he was willing to lie in court’

IRA man Pearse Jordan was shot dead by the RUC in 1992
IRA man Pearse Jordan was shot dead by the RUC in 1992 IRA man Pearse Jordan was shot dead by the RUC in 1992

A coroner has been told that a former RUC officer who shot dead IRA man Pearse Jordan more than 20 years ago admitted he was "willing to lie to a court of law”.

The remarks were made during final submissions by lawyers at a fresh inquest into the death of 23-year-old.

He was killed by the RUC after the stolen car he was driving was rammed on the Falls Road in west Belfast in 1992.

Civilian witnesses later claimed the Ballymurphy man was shot three times in the back as he ran away, while the officer who shot him claimed he was facing him and he had felt under threat.

The findings of a previous inquest, heard in front of a jury in 2012, were quashed two years later after a legal challenge by the Jordan family.

Former RUC officers, attached to the Headquarters Mobile Support Unit, were granted anonymity and gave evidence to the fresh inquest from behind a screen.

However, Mr Jordan’s parents and legal representatives were allowed to see them.

The IRA man was shot by a former officer referred to as 'Sergeant A', who gave evidence during the hearing.

It emerged he was also involved in a police operation during which two IRA men were shot dead by the RUC in Armagh in 1982.

During yesterday’s hearing Karen Quinlivan QC, acting for the Jordan family, told the coroner that the officer “admitted to this court that he was willing to lie to a court of law”.

He had previously told the inquest that “source protection” and “operational procedures” would be justifications for lying.

Barry Macdonald QC, who is also acting for the Jordan family, claimed the facts of the case were simple and that Mr Jordan was not armed.

“The car he was driving was stopped by the police and he got out of it and ran away and was shot in the back by a police officer at a distance of six yards,” he said.

The barrister said an account later given by a British soldier who witnessed the killing “corresponds with civilian witnesses”.

A lawyer for the PSNI, meanwhile, said Sergeant A “came forward to provide an explanation for his actions”.

He said that the officer had been criticised for his attitude towards the IRA man’s death but this was due to "his honest belief he had no choice but to open fire”.

After the final submissions were made Mr Justice Horner said “there is much to think about, there is a lot of evidence”.

He said he now intends to reread files relating to the case as well as yesterday's arguments.

“This is not an easy case, there has been detailed submissions made by counsel and I would like to reflect on those submissions,” he said.