Former British soldier tried for "unjustified and gratuitous" Bloody Sunday murders

A murder trial is underway for a former British soldier charged with shooting and killing civilians on Bloody Sunday.

Prosecution barrister Louis Mably commenced proceedings at the non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court today, presenting the case that the shooting was "unjustified," "unnecessary" and "gratuitous."

Soldier F, who was granted anonymity by the court, is accused of murdering James Wray, 22, and William McKinney, 26, in 1972.

He is also charged with five counts of attempted murder in Derry, of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon, Patrick O'Donnell and one additional unnamed victim.

"The civilians in the courtyard did not pose a threat to the soldiers and nor could the soldiers have believed that they did," Mably said.

"What they did was to falsely claim that the civilians they targeted were armed. It was demonstrably false....The civilians were unarmed and they were simply shot as they ran away."

Soldier F is pleading not guilty to all seven counts.

Press and the public were not allowed in the courtroom and Soldier F was covered from public view with a black curtain.

Before the trial, the families of Wray and McKinney were joined by a large group of supporters as they walked to the courthouse and gathered for speeches outside.

John McKinney, brother of the late William McKinney, spoke to the crowd.

"Today marks a momentous day in our battle to secure justice for our loved ones who were murdered on Bloody Sunday," McKinney said.

"It has taken 53 years to get to this point, and we have battled all the odds to get here. Everything that we have achieved to this point has been through relentless commitment and a refusal to lie down."

He added that "regardless of the ultimate outcome" of the trial, supporters will know they "are on the right side of history."

Among the demonstrators was People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll, who posted a photo of the group on Instagram.

"[Soldier F's] trial is long overdue, although he is not facing charges for all of the shots he fired on that fateful day," said Carroll in the caption.

"As multiple speakers mentioned, Soldier F is receiving the greatest protections for anyone accused of multiple murders in British legal history. Despite what some have tried to claim...Hopefully the courts do what's right in this trial."

Carroll also condemned "the generals and officials of the British state" who have not faced consequences for allowing the British army "to act with impunity against peaceful protesters."

 

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Supporters of Soldier F and British army veterans also gathered outside the courtroom. Northern Ireland veterans commissioner David Johnstone spoke to the crowd, claiming the legacy process subjected veterans to "wholesale demonisation."

"Many veterans today feel frustrated, feel angry, and indeed feel betrayed by the legacy process since 1998," Johnstone said.

"Legacy is indeed the unfinished business of the Belfast Agreement, and for there to be any reconciliation in this province, there must first be a fair and balanced legacy process.

"As veterans commissioner, I will continue to advocate for a legacy process that ensures fairness for all, upholds the principles of justice and recognises the service and the sacrifice of those who stood in defence of all sections of this community during one of the darkest chapters in our history."

On January 30, 1972, British soldiers opened fire without warning on unarmed civilians during a peaceful civil rights protest in Derry.

13 people were killed outright, and another died from his injuries four months later. At least 15 people were injured when hit with shrapnel, rubber bullets or batons, run over by British Army vehicles or beaten by British soldiers.

The Saville Inquiry examining the day was launched 26 years later. In the inquiry's 2010 report, police found there was no justification for shooting the victims.

A murder investigation was launched following the report, arresting one suspect in 2015 who was later released on bail.

In 2019, Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS) announced that Soldier F would face prosecution for his seven charges.

In 2021, a murder trial for two other soldiers accused of shooting IRA leader Joe McCann collapsed due to the prosecution's key evidence being deemed "inadmissible" and PPS halted Soldier F's prosecution, citing worries that the case might fare similarly if brought to trial.

The McKinney family challenged the PPS decision and Soldier F's prosecution was resumed that same year.

Mably brought evidence in the form of witness statements identifying Soldier F as one of the paratroopers who opened fire on civilians.

He said those statements will be the subject of a hearsay application on Wednesday to determine if they are admissible.

The trial is ongoing.