Witch-hunt of Army veterans is now ‘very close to ending’
WITCH-HUNT AGAINST OUR HEROES
THE legal witch-hunt of Army veterans is ‘very close’ to an end, the Defence Secretary believes.
Gavin Williamson is expected to propose laws to stop the ‘tragedy’ of former troops being pursued through the courts.
A unit set up in the Ministry of Defence to examine the issue has found a workable solution, he signalled yesterday.
Mr Williamson said there was no ‘silver bullet’ that could solve the problem. Instead, a combination of measures will be considered.
It is understood the solution will not include a statute of limthing itations – or time limit – on charges being brought, which has previously been proposed.
The Government is thought instead to be looking at raising the threshold for prosecution and strengthening presumption of innocence.
Mr Williamson said: ‘I have no doubt that in the very near future we are going to be in a situation where we can put things in place – and this will require legislation to do – that end this absolute tragedy of British service personnel being chased through the courts. The that I just know in my heart and soul that is fundamentally so incredibly wrong is the fact we have so many ex-servicemen who continue to be in a situation where they are facing persecution.
‘It is the thing I have constantly thought we need to find a solution for. And this is what we have been working towards… we think we are very close to landing a position where we can make those important steps forward in terms of finding a solution and making sure former and serving personnel will not go through the strain, the worry and the trauma of fearing a knock on their door.’
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has sparked anger by re-examining every Army killing between 1968 and 1998. Hundreds of former soldiers are potential murder or manslaughter suspects over their actions in the Troubles.
Mr Williamson said new measures would help Northern Ireland veterans but also those who served in ‘conflicts that have gone on since then’.
Meanwhile, the head of the Armed Forces General Sir Nick Carter yesterday said it would be a ‘tragedy’ if his military hero General Sir Frank Kitson, 91, died before his name is cleared.
Sir Frank was a commander in Ulster and was awarded a CBE for his ‘gallant’ service there.
In 2015 he was told he was being sued over the murder of Patrick Eugene Heenan, killed by loyalists in 1973, and a civil action was put forward. Sir Frank has said he was not even in the country when he died.