Ex-minister attends veterans’ trial
FORMER veterans minister Johnny Mercer, the Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View, attended Belfast Crown Court yesterday to watch the start of a four-week trial of two British army veterans charged with murdering an Official IRA leader in 1972.
The ex-Army officer left his ministerial role last week after expressing frustration at a lack of progress on legislation to protect British veterans who served during the Troubles from prosecution.
PLYMOUTH MP and former veterans minister Johnny Mercer said the trial of two former soldiers is “unfair” as he arrived at Belfast Crown Court yesterday for the hearing in which the ex-paratroopers charged with the murder of a man almost 50 years ago.
The former Army officer left his ministerial role last week, when he said he had been sacked via a text message after expressing frustration at a lack of progress on legislation to protect British veterans who served during the Troubles in Northern Ireland from prosecution.
The Conservative MP for Plymouth Moor View said on his way to the court: “I think in any conflict, it is messy, it is unpleasant, it is a horrible process to go through for both sides. What I don’t think is – 50 years later – you get a truly accurate picture of what happened.
“I think it is unfair to try and apply today’s standards of operations and retrospectively apply them to that time and try to get justice. I have huge sympathy on all sides, but we need to move on in Northern Ireland,” he added.
“What is happening today, I don’t think is fair, and that’s why I am here. The reality is today, as we stand here, there are two individuals in court for something that happened 50 years ago. They served their country, they did their best. War is messy and we need to find a solution for everybody.”
Before he watched the first day of proceedings, Mr Mercer denied he was “interfering” in the legal process adding he is there to “learn about the process”.
A small group of protesters, some dressed in military uniform, were picketing outside the court in Belfast ahead of the trial. Demonstrators held banners expressing opposition to the historical prosecution of former British soldiers.
The two former paratroopers have been charged in relation to the murder of Official IRA man Joe McCann,
‘What is happening today, I don’t think is fair, and that’s why I am here. They served their country, they did their best. War is messy’ JOHNNY MERCER
24, who died after being shot in the Markets area of Belfast in 1972. The soldiers will remain anonymous during the trial, which is expected to last for four weeks.
At the outset of proceedings yesterday, the pair formally entered not guilty pleas. The Crown prosecution lawyer said shooting Mr McCann in the back as he ran away was unlawful and not justified. The soldiers are said to have opened fire after they had been manning a checkpoint in the area at the time.
Mr Mercer had been heavily involved in the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill, which is going through Parliament. The legislation responds to legal claims made after operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, but does not cover incidents in Northern Ireland.