Lone soldier faces dock as Bloody Sunday plea fails

‘Don’t shoot’: Fr Edward Daly waves a white handkerchief as he runs in front of victim being carried on January 30, 1972, in Londonderry

RELATIVES of 13 people killed on Bloody Sunday have vowed to fight on for justice after Northern Ireland’s public prosecution service stood by its decision to pursue a case against just one former soldier.

The PPS announced last year that the veteran, known as Soldier F, would face charges after members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on demonstrators in Londonderry on January 30, 1972.

Families of some of the victims requested a review of the decision.

But now PPS senior assistant director Marianne O’Kane has concluded there is not enough evidence to prosecute any of the other 15 soldiers alleged to have been involved in the shootings, which also injured 15 civilians.

John Kelly, whose brother Michael was killed, promised that the relatives’ campaign for justice will go on. ‘We’re not giving up yet, we have now the next stage, the judicial review at the High Court,’ he said.

‘It’s been a long road – nearly 50 years – but we will not stop until we see justice for our loved ones.

‘We’ve had many kicks in the teeth, but I think most of us have still got full sets of teeth and we’re not giving up.’

Soldier F is charged with the murders of James Wray and William McKinney. He is also accused of the attempted murders of Patrick O’Donnell, Joseph Friel, Joe Mahon and Michael Quinn.

He faces a seventh charge of the attempted murder of a person or persons unknown on the day.