West Yorkshire Police today defended its decision to turn down a job application by Bradford paratrooper Lee Clegg.

The force took legal advice after receiving the application from Corporal Clegg, who is currently an Army physical training instructor.

In 1993 he was convicted of killing 18-year-old Karen Reilly and 17-year-old Martin Peake when the stolen car they were in failed to stop as it went through an Army checkpoint in Northern Ireland.

After a long legal battle he has now been cleared on both counts. The battle to clear his name took ten years.

Today, a West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "The force has made it clear to Mr Clegg the reasons for not appointing him as a constable. That decision was taken after detailed consideration of the many issues surrounding his case, and on receipt of legal advice. The full details of the rationale behind that decision have been provided to Mr Clegg."

Mr Clegg's mother Wynne Johnson, of Lidget Green, was unavailable for comment.