THE widow of a soldier accidentally shot dead by a colleague at an army base has spoken of her shock after her husband's killer was given a two-year prison sentence.

Carolyne Green, 28, of Shap, said the jail term handed down to Lance Corporal William Graham a week ago for the manslaughter of her husband, Cpl Tony Green, was too lenient.

The tragedy occurred on January 24, 2001, as Pte Graham was handling an SA80 rifle in the back of a Landrover at the Shackleton Barracks, Ballykelly, the court was told in October.

It discharged a bullet, which hit 25-year-old Cpl Green in the head as he walked past 130 yards away, and he died in hospital while his wife was three months pregnant.

Mrs Green did not attend the sentencing at Coleraine Crown Court last Friday because it would mean coming face-to-face with the man responsible for her husband's death.

She was told of the conclusion to the case in a telephone call from the Royal Ulster Constabulary that afternoon.

Mrs Green said this week: "It was on my mind all the time and I was on pins. It was just going round in my head: How long is he going to get?

"I am happy he is in jail but two years is not long enough. No doubt, he will probably serve about a year with good behaviour."

Graham, 24, of Whitburn, Lothian, who was convicted of manslaughter last year, was promoted to Lance Corporal after the tragedy, but is now facing discharge, the court heard.

Mrs Green is now a single mother living with parents Duncan and Evelyn Lewis and 21-month-old son Dylan Tony.

She said: "I am glad that he is going to come out of jail and have no career. Even if he had got 10 years in jail, it would not be long enough."

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Higgins said that it was not clear how the

weapon came to be discharged.

The judge said Graham was an experienced soldier and while he did not set out to deliberately kill Mr Green, he had been grossly negligent.

Mr Green's mother, Liz, of Carlisle, who attended the court hearing, called for a full inquiry into the circumstances sur-rounding the shooting.

She said: "Justice has not been done yet but it will be. The British Army is doing a very good job of covering up deaths that occur on their bases."

While agreeing with her husband's mother, Mrs Green said any legal action would be futile.

She explained: "I still think to this day that there is more to it than what came out but you are dealing with the army and it is a closed book.

"It has taken two years already and the army drags its feet. If we did anything, it could take another two years and I want to put it behind me. I want to move on but it will always be there."

Of the effect of losing her husband, Mrs Green said Christmas with her son brought it home.

"It is sad that when he opened his presents, there was just me there and his dad wasn't," she said.

January 17, 2003 12:00