Troubles cases involving two ex soldiers no longer proceeding
Last updated 2nd Jul 2021
By David Young and Rebecca Black, PA
The prosecution of two former soldiers over three deaths during Northern Ireland's troubled past have been halted.
Soldier F was being prosecuted for the murder of two men, James Wray and William McKinney, shot during a civil rights demonstration in Londonderry on Bloody Sunday in 1972.
Soldier B was to be prosecuted for the murder of 15-year-old Daniel Hegarty in the city six months later.
The families of the victims were informed of the decisions during meetings in Derry on Friday morning.
It comes after a review of evidence in the cases.
These reviews follow a recent court ruling that caused the collapse of another Troubles murder trial involving two military veterans.
Mickey McKinney, brother of William McKinney, has vowed to fight on, expressing disappointment at the decision of the PPS not to pursue the prosecution against Soldier F.
"This issue is far from concluded. We will fight on,'' he said.
Solicitor Ciaran Shiels added: "We have this morning informed the Public Prosecution Service of our intention to seek an immediate judicial review of its decision to discontinue the prosecution of Soldier F.
"The reasons underpinning the PPS decision relate to the admissibility of statements made to the Royal Military Police in 1972 by a number of soldiers who were witnesses to events in Glenfada Park.
"The admissibility of RMP statements in relation to the events of Bloody Sunday is a matter already under active judicial consideration by the High Court following proceedings which we lodged last December.
"The High Court will hear detailed legal argument over five days in September. In those circumstances, the decision by the PPS to halt this prosecution is clearly premature in the absence of a High Court ruling on the issue.''
Main photo: general pic of Bloody Sunday.