Soldier F enters not guilty plea for Bloody Sunday murders

A former British soldier has entered a plea of not guilty to accusations of murdering two individuals during Bloody Sunday, an event that occurred over 50 years ago. In June, legal representatives for the former paratrooper, identified as Soldier F, sought to have the proceedings against him terminated prior to his trial. On Friday, Judge Mr Justice Fowler rejected this application at Belfast Crown Court. Soldier F faces charges of two murders and five attempted murders stemming from an incident on 30 January 1972, when members of the Parachute Regiment discharged firearms at civil rights demonstrators in Londonderry. The shooting by soldiers in the Bogside resulted in the deaths of thirteen individuals and injuries to a minimum of 15 others. The legal team representing the former soldier had contended that the evidence presented against him lacked sufficiency. Nevertheless, Mr Justice Fowler denied their request to halt the prosecution. The primary evidence consists of statements made by two other soldiers at that time. Mr Justice Fowler determined that these statements offered “a sufficiency of evidence” for the case to proceed. He further stated that the trial itself would be responsible for assessing their admissibility, reliability, and the significance to be attributed to them. Shielded from public observation by a substantial curtain drawn across a section of the courtroom, Soldier F responded “not guilty” as each of the seven charges was presented to him. Additionally, Mr Justice Fowler ruled that Soldier F’s anonymity would remain protected, citing a potential risk of him being targeted for attack if his identity were revealed. The trial date for Soldier F is scheduled to be determined early in the New Year. Outside the court, Mickey, brother of William McKinney, commented that “another step” had been achieved in the ongoing pursuit of justice for the families affected by Bloody Sunday. He stated: “We are very pleased that Soldier F’s application was refused and that he will now proceed rightly for trial.” He added: “We are disappointed however that the trial judge has granted his application for anonymity and screening.” “It is difficult for us to reconcile the fact that anyone with an interest in the events of Bloody Sunday has been aware of Soldier F’s true identity and appearance for many years,” he remarked. Noting that next month will mark the 53rd anniversary of Bloody Sunday, Mr McKinney emphasized that it was “imperative that the court does not tolerate any more delay and that this trial proceeds as a matter of urgency.” The Bloody Sunday Trust (BST), in a released statement, expressed approval of the ruling but indicated that there would be “widespread disappointment” regarding the continued anonymity of Soldier F. The trust praised the “continued determination of the families of William McKinney and Jim Wray”. Colum Eastwood, the SDLP MP for Foyle, who attended court on Friday, characterized the decision as “another step forward in the long campaign for justice for the Bloody Sunday families”. He stated: “Today we received welcome confirmation that the charges against Soldier F will not be dismissed and that he will face trial for murder and attempted murder.” He acknowledged that while this marked progress, “none of this is easy for the families”. He further commented: “It remains a matter of regret that the Public Prosecution Service failed to consult the families before deciding not to contest the anonymity order against Soldier F.” The determination regarding the prosecution of Soldier F has encompassed multiple legal challenges and reversals. After reviewing 125,000 pages of documentation, prosecutors announced in March 2019 their intention to send Soldier F to trial for the murders of Mr Wray and Mr McKinney, alongside several attempted murders. Nevertheless, in 2021, prosecutors discontinued the case following the collapse of the trial involving two other Army veterans who faced charges for a separate Troubles-era killing. The families of the Bloody Sunday victims, at that juncture, described the decision as a “damning indictment of the British justice system”; their subsequent legal challenge against this decision proved successful. The court subsequently denied an effort by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) to have its own appeal directed to the Supreme Court. Prosecutors later declared their decision to recommence the prosecution in September 2022. He was committed for trial in December 2023, a determination that his lawyers subsequently contested in June. That particular hearing marked Soldier F’s initial in-person court appearance since charges were brought against him.