The long-awaited trial of a former paratrooper accused of murdering two men on Bloody Sunday began at Belfast Crown Court on Monday morning. Soldier F, who cannot be identified, faces charges for the deaths of James Wray and William McKinney during the shooting of civil rights protesters in Londonderry on January 30, 1972.
The Army veteran is also charged with five attempted murders during the incident in the city's Bogside area. He has pleaded not guilty to all seven counts, with the non-jury case being heard by judge Patrick Lynch.
Family's decades-long fight
The families of the victims joined supporters in a march to the courthouse, carrying a banner reading "Towards Justice". John McKinney, brother of victim William McKinney, described the day as "momentous" in their 53-year battle for justice.
"Everything that we have achieved to this point has been through relentless commitment and a refusal to lie down," McKinney told the rally outside court. He said the families would enter the courtroom "very proudly with our heads held high" while Soldier F would be "cowering behind a curtain".
McKinney placed the family's trust in the Public Prosecution Service to "finish the job", calling it a prosecution brought not just for Bloody Sunday families but "for all the people of Derry and further afield who have stood with us".
Veterans gather in support
Supporters of Soldier F and the wider veterans' community also gathered outside the court buildings. Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner David Johnstone claimed former soldiers were being subjected to "wholesale demonisation" through the legacy process.
"Many veterans today feel frustrated, feel angry, and indeed feel betrayed by the legacy process since 1998," Johnstone said. He called for a "fair and balanced legacy process" that would not facilitate the "rewriting of the history of the Troubles".
Bloody Sunday background
Bloody Sunday was one of the most notorious incidents of the Northern Ireland Troubles, when members of the Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 civil rights protesters on the streets of Derry. A 14th man shot by paratroopers died four months later, though his death was formally attributed to a brain tumour.
The landmark Saville Inquiry reported in 2010 that there was no justification for shooting any of those killed or wounded. Then-Prime Minister David Cameron issued a public apology, calling the killings "unjustified and unjustifiable".
The prosecution of Soldier F faced significant delays after the Public Prosecution Service initially discontinued the case in 2021, citing concerns over evidence admissibility following the collapse of a similar veterans' trial. However, the McKinney family successfully challenged this decision in court, leading to the resumption of proceedings.
Sources used: "PA Media" Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
