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3h ago

Non-Jury Trial of 'Soldier F' Opens in Belfast Over Bloody Sunday Killings

The case tests a rare path to criminal accountability born of the Saville Inquiry’s findings after years of legal reversals.

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Flowers are seen laid at the Bloody Sunday memorial to mark what was one of the bloodiest incidents in the "Troubles" conflict
British troops opened fire on protesters in the majority Catholic Bogside area of Londonderry on January 30, 1972, killing 13 people -- a 14th later dying of his injuries

Overview

  • Proceedings begin Monday at Belfast Crown Court before Judge Patrick Lynch in a non-jury format.
  • The former paratrooper, granted anonymity and screened from public view, denies two murder and five attempted murder charges from 1972.
  • Prosecutors approved charges in 2019, halted the case in 2021 over risks tied to Royal Military Police statements, then reinstated it in 2022 after a court ruling.
  • Relatives of James Wray and William McKinney plan to attend as supporters mark what campaigners describe as a landmark step.
  • The trial advances while legacy prosecutions face uncertainty, with the UK moving to repeal the 2023 Legacy Act and cross-border talks under way on a new framework.