A former paratrooper accused of two murders during Bloody Sunday will stand trial at Belfast Crown Court from Monday. The defendant, known only as Soldier F, faces charges relating to the killing of 13 civil rights protesters in Londonderry on 30 January 1972.
Soldier F is charged with murdering James Wray and William McKinney during the incident. He also faces five counts of attempted murder involving Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon, Patrick O'Donnell and an unknown person in Derry's Bogside area.
The former paratrooper has pleaded not guilty to all seven charges. Judge Patrick Lynch will hear the case without a jury.
Families gather for long-awaited trial
The families of Wray and McKinney are expected to walk to court together on Monday morning, accompanied by a large group of supporters. William McKinney's brother Mickey expressed his feelings ahead of the proceedings.
"We're here now, at last, after all this time," Mickey McKinney said. "It's not nervousness, it's anticipation more so. I'm not even sure that it's really sunk in yet that we're here now."
Bloody Sunday's tragic legacy
Bloody Sunday remains one of the darkest chapters in Northern Ireland's Troubles. Members of the Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 civil rights protesters on the streets of Londonderry, with another man dying four months later from injuries sustained during the incident.
The 2010 Saville Inquiry found no justification for shooting any of those killed or wounded. Then-Prime Minister David Cameron (Conservative) issued a public apology, describing the killings as "unjustified and unjustifiable".
Complex legal journey
Northern Ireland's Public Prosecution Service announced charges against Soldier F in 2019 following the Saville report. However, the prosecution was halted two years later due to concerns the case could collapse at trial.
This decision came after a separate trial involving two other veterans accused of Troubles-era murders collapsed when key evidence was ruled inadmissible. The McKinney family successfully challenged the decision to discontinue proceedings, leading to the prosecution being resumed.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
