Sergeant O criticises ‘gutless’ Government

A FORMER soldier investigated over Bloody Sunday has called the Government “gutless” for failing to introduce a statute of limitations.

The 77-year-old known as Sergeant O said a statute of limitations should be introduced to prevent future historical investigations from taking place.

Sergeant O was one of 17 former members of the Parachute Regiment to have their actions following a civil rights march in Derry in 1972 examined. Last month, Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service announced it will prosecute one man, Soldier F.

The decision sparked disappointment among some of the families of those killed but also prompted anger among military veterans.

Thirteen civil rights demonstrators were shot dead on Jan 30 1972. Soldier F will face charges for the murders of James Wray and William Mckinney and the attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon and Patrick O’donnell.

Sergeant O, a grandfather, was accused by police of injuring two men who were wounded by flying debris and was interviewed under caution on April 13 2016 at a police station close to his home in southern England.

In an interview with Forces News, Sergeant O said it was a relief to be told he would not be put before a judge, and that his claims he had not done anything wrong had been proved right.

He described serving in Northern Ireland in the Seventies as “utterly hell on wheels” with riots every night, but he insisted that he has no regrets. “I’d do it again, the exact same way.” Sergeant O revealed that at one stage he and his family were placed under police protection. He maintains the IRA knows where he is.

He also said he backs the campaign for a statute of limitations to be introduced. “The Government is entirely gutless,” he said. “They should draw a line under it as they’ve done for the IRA terrorists. Not only for Ireland but for Afghanistan and Iraq.”

Meanwhile, large numbers of bikers are expected to roar into London on April 12 to protest against the prosecution of Soldier F. Harry Wragg, the Rolling Thunder ride organiser, said: “Our argument is with the Government, not the victims of Bloody Sunday.”