A soldier identified as Soldier F is scheduled to face trial on Monday, charged with murder in connection to the Bloody Sunday incident on 30 January 1972, when the Parachute Regiment killed 13 civil rights protesters in Derry, Northern Ireland.
Soldier F, a former paratrooper, faces charges of murder and attempted murder from that event which became a significant moment in the Northern Irish conflict known as The Troubles. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges of murdering James Wray and William McKinney and attempting to murder five others during a military operation that is among Northern Ireland’s most contentious historical events.
Arbitrary fired upon 31 civilians on the day, resulting in the death of 13, with another death occurring four months later, widely considered as the 14th victim. The 1972 Widgery Tribunal initially exonerated the soldiers, but a Saville inquiry in 2010 concluded that the killings were unjustified and unjustifiable. The British government has issued an apology for the killings which have remained in public consciousness through various commemorations and cultural works.
The trial at Belfast Crown Court is crucial for the families of the victims, ending 53 years of campaigning for justice. Soldier F is entitled to anonymity, with his identity protected due to security concerns, including the threat from dissident republicans.
Judge Fowler will preside over the trial without a jury, on account of the exceptional circumstances of the case. However, at a pre-trial hearing, Soldier F’s defense argued that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the trial due to discrepancies in witness statements.
Legal proceedings expect Soldier F’s trial to address “contestable evidence” and rely on what prosecutors claim would be “overwhelming evidence of his actions” that day. The court accepted that soldiers acted unlawfully by firing their high-velocity rifles at unarmed civilians, providing enough ground for the trial.
The case is of significant interest to families of the victims, veteran groups, and both Irish and British governments, who are considering the repeal of the Legacy Act, which sought to end investigations into Troubles-related deaths.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/15/british-army-veteran-charged-trial-bloody-sunday-murders-northern-ireland
