Troubles veteran, 77 fights for trial by jury
A DECORATED Northern Ireland veteran will take his fight for justice to the Supreme Court this week.
Dennis Hutchings, 77, denies attempted murder and attempted grievous bodily harm with intent over a shooting in 1974 at the height of The Troubles.
He was twice cleared of wrongdoing but is one of four British veterans to face trial over incidents dating to 1972.They were all cleared at the time.
He is going to court on Thursday, the same day prosecutors decide if former paratroopers will be charged over the deaths of 14 people in the Bloody Sunday shootings in 1972. Under Tony Blair’s Good Friday Agreement in 1998 more than 500 convicted terrorists were freed early and 300 suspected terrorists told they would not be pursued.
Mr Hutchings, who is seriously ill, faces trial by judge only in Northern Ireland – a legal option for terrorist trials – but he is going to the Supreme Court to try to secure the right to face trial by jury.
He said: “I am not a terrorist. I want a trial by jury and to prove my innocence. I do not feel any British soldier or former member of the RUC will get a fair trial in Northern Ireland.
“I gave 26 years of service to this country along with thousands of others and our reward is to be chased in a witchhunt. Mistakes get made but it was a war zone.”
Mr Hutchings, of Cornwall, faces trial for the killing of John Patrick Cunningham, 27, who was unarmed, in County Tyrone in 1974.
He was shot in the back as he ran from an Army patrol in what Mr Hutchings accepts was “a tragedy”.