Ards Peninsula man new High Sheriff for Co Down

Ards Peninsula man new High Sheriff for Co Down

5 February 2025

A NEW High Sheriff for County Down has been appointed.

Lieutenant Colonel Peter Leckey, who is from the Ards Peninsula, has been appointed in succession to Comber woman Suzanne Wild.

The hand-over ceremony took place recently at Montalto House, Ballynahinch.

Among those in attendance were the Lord Lieutenant of County Down, Mr Gawn Rowan Hamilton, Vice Lord Lieutenant Catherine Champion, representatives of the High Sheriffs Association of NI, former sheriffs and representatives of Ards and North Down Council, Newry, Mourne and Down Council, Lisburn and Castlereagh Council and Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Council.

Born in Belfast and educated at Annadale Grammar School, Mr Leckey studied Modern History at Queen’s University before obtaining a regular commission from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

He has since pursued a military and policing career spanning almost four decades.

Whilst his early military service and his police career were spent largely in Northern Ireland, his latter service as an Army Reservist has taken him to Afghanistan, Ukraine, Uganda, Bangladesh, the USA and most of Europe.

In addition to several overseas deployments, training and mentoring partner nation troops and police, he also participated in the military operation to support the NHS during Covid.

Mr Leckey retired from policing as an inspector in 2015 to concentrate solely on the Army Reserve.

In addition to commanding a Rifle Company in Belfast he served as second in command of Queen’s University Officers’ Training Corps, on the Academy HQ Staff at Sandhurst, as a Deputy President at the Army Officer Selection Board, on the Staff of 38 (Irish) Brigade and latterly in UK Strategic Command. He continues to serve as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve.

Of his appointment, he said: “ I am deeply honoured to have been appointed to this ancient office. It is a privilege to follow in the footsteps of all of those singular men and women who have preceded me.

The earliest records list John Mandeville as High Sherriff of Down in 1326.  It is humbling to assume that same office almost seven centuries later.”

Mr Leckey added: “I hope I bring to this appointment a record of service service to Crown, service to country and service to county.

“I look forward to continuing that service in the year ahead, supporting the Lord Lieutenant, fulfilling my responsibilities to the judiciary and working with all four councils in support of their efforts to enhance the reputation and promote the well-being of Co Down.”