Former soldier to stand trial accused of murder over deaths of two men on Bloody Sunday

The former soldier, who cannot be identified but is called Soldier F, is also charged with five attempted murders on Sunday 30 January 1972 during a demonstration against anti-Catholic discrimination in Derry/Londonderry when 13 civil rights protesters were shot dead.

Thursday 14 December 2023 16:05, UK

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A former soldier is to stand trial accused of two murders on Bloody Sunday.

Soldier F, who cannot be identified, is accused of murdering James Wray and William McKinney in Londonderry in 1972.

He is also charged with five attempted murders.

During a hearing in Derry on Thursday, the former paratrooper was sent for trial at a date to be fixed at Belfast Crown Court.

On Bloody Sunday, members of the Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 civil rights protesters on the streets of the city.

The incident was one of the darkest days in the history of the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Another man shot by paratroopers died four months later.

While considered by some to be the 14th victim of Bloody Sunday, his death was formally attributed to an inoperable brain tumour.

Mickey McKinney, brother of William McKinney, said he welcomed the decision to return Soldier F for trial.

He said: "This development has been a long time in coming.

"Next month represents the 52nd anniversary of the events of Bloody Sunday. Witnesses are dying and becoming unavailable."

The Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland (PPS) previously called a halt to the prosecution of Soldier F in 2021, citing concerns the case could collapse if it went to trial.

The decision to halt proceedings was challenged by Mr McKinney's family and last year the Divisional Court of the High Court in Belfast overturned the PPS's move.

After reviewing its position, the PPS decided to resume the prosecution.

WHAT WAS BLOODY SUNDAY?

Thirteen people were shot dead and a 14th fatally wounded after the British Army opened fire on crowds demonstrating in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on Sunday 30 January 1972, against anti-Catholic discrimination.

It came at the start of the Troubles 鈥� years of conflict between Unionists, who are largely Protestant and want to remain part of the UK, and Nationalists, who are largely Catholic and want to be part of a united Ireland.

Stones were thrown, and paratroopers eventually tried to arrest as many as possible. Army documents show 21 soldiers fired a total of 108 live rounds.

The government announced an inquiry into Bloody Sunday the day afterwards. It largely cleared the Army of any blame and was branded a farce by victims' families and their supporters.

In 1998, Tony Blair commissioned a new inquiry - it became the longest and most expensive public inquiry in British history, lasting until 2010 and costing around 拢200m.

It found Bloody Sunday protesters completely innocent and although there was "some firing by Republican paramilitaries", the Army was considered responsible for the violence.

The police then spent years on new murder inquiries, but prosecutors concluded that only one soldier, identified only as "Soldier F" could be charged.

In 2021, two charges of murder and two of attempted murder were dropped, and the prosecution halted when evidence was deemed inadmissible.

Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service (PPS) announced in September 2022 it was to recommence proceedings against Soldier F in connection with events on Bloody Sunday.

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Former soldier to stand trial accused of murder over deaths of two men on Bloody Sunday

WHAT WAS BLOODY SUNDAY?

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