Troops’ fury at Bloody Sunday murder charge
They fear more prosecutions as relatives of the dead keep fighting
BLOODY Sunday veterans say their ‘nightmare will continue’ after relatives of those killed vowed to fight for further prosecutions following yesterday’s decision to charge a single soldier with murder.
Seventeen paratroopers had faced the prospect of charges for crimes including murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm over their roles in the 1972 Londonderry shooting, in which 13 protesters on a civil rights march died.
In the event, Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service announced that just one veteran, known as Soldier F, will be prosecuted over two murders and four attempted murders.
PPS director Stephen Herron said there was insufficient evidence to pursue charges against the 16 other former soldiers – and two alleged members of the Official IRA who were also facing the prospect of charges.
The decision to bring a sole prosecution was met with fury by families of those who died on Bloody Sunday – and solicitors acting on their behalf confirmed they would appeal.
Yesterday’s ruling came after a sixyear police investigation into the shootings prompted by the conclusions of the Saville Inquiry in 2010 that those killed were innocent and posed no threat.
Thirteen died and 15 were injured on January 30, 1972 when troops of the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment fired on demonstrators marching against the policy of internment.
The soldiers maintain they were under fire from members of the IRA and say those looking to prosecute them fail to understand they were in a warzone.
Yesterday Mr Herron said there was sufficient evidence to prosecute Soldier F for the murders of James Wray and William McKinney. He will also face charges for the attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon and Patrick O’Donnell.
Families of those killed – who had sung We Shall Overcome as they marched through Londonderry towards the city’s Guildhall ahead of the announcement – reacted with dismay and disbelief at the ruling.
John Kelly, whose brother Michael was killed aged 17, vowed to fight to bring prosecutions against the 16 other soldiers. ‘We will continue and hopefully bring the rest of the perpetrators to justice,’ he said. ‘The campaign of the Bloody Sunday families is not finished yet.’ Kate Nash, who lost her brother William aged 19, said: ‘I was expecting more prosecutions, I really was. There is a battle to be fought here.
‘I am 70 and might not have many years left, but this decision is not going to stop us. Prosecuting one soldier was a token acknowledgment of Bloody Sunday.’
Ciaran Sheils, of Madden and Finucane solicitors, who represent the families of many of the Bloody Sunday victims, said: ‘We are disappointed that not all of those responsible are to face trial.
‘We will give detailed consideration to the reasons provided for decisions not to prosecute the other soldiers, with a view to making further submissions to the Prosecution Service and we shall ultimately challenge in the High Court, by way of judicial review, any prosecutorial decision that does not withstand scrutiny.’
Veterans also reacted with anger at the PPS decision – and expressed fears soldiers who served in the Troubles could still face many more years of anguish under the threat of prosecutions. One former paratrooper who served on Bloody Sunday said: ‘We didn’t do anything wrong that day. We were doing our duty. All the veterans are disgusted.
‘I think the Government should hang their heads in shame for letting this happen.’
Another soldier who served during the Troubles, who asked not to be named, added: ‘ We know that this is not the end for those involved and the nightmare will go on.
‘ Everyone believes this is an endless witch-hunt which effectively has been supported by Westminster. They should have put a stop to it years ago.
‘I suspect prosecutors wanted to bring more charges – and were under huge pressure to do so – but there is not the evidence. This should have been brought to an end but for some it can never end.’ After the decision was announced, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson pledged to fund all of Soldier F’s legal costs, and said ‘former personnel cannot live in constant fear of prosecution’.
But his wording provoked a strong response from lawyers acting for those killed, who said the comments could be in contempt of court. Solicitor Darragh Mackin said Mr Williamson had ‘threatened the fairness of the judicial process’.
‘They should have stopped years ago’