The Director of Public Prosecutions has confirmed that the prosecution of Soldier F, accused of killing James Wray and William McKinney on Bloody Sunday will not now go to trial.
It comes after a review of evidence in the case.
Solicitors acting for the families of the two men have indicated they will appeal.
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Press Statement from McKinney Family and Madden & Finucane
Mickey McKinney brother of William McKinney said:
“The decision communicated today to the victims of Bloody Sunday represents another
damning indictment of the British justice system.
“A mass murderer has been permitted to evade justice without even standing trial.
“Whilst Soldier F was being prosecuted for two counts of murder on Bloody Sunday, he in
fact murdered five people that day. There is no dispute that his actions on Bloody Sunday
resulted in 2 women being robbed of their husbands, 12 children being orphaned of their
father, and dozens of young men and women deprived of a brother. 6 parents also lost a son.
These are the clear findings of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry and the responsibility that it
attaches directly and unequivocally to the actions of Soldier F.
“Whilst hiding behind the shameful cloak of anonymity, he has so far escaped prosecution for
the entirety of the mass murder that he committed on Bloody Sunday and our family, with the
support of the other families and wounded shall challenge this decision as far as we can.
“This issue is far from concluded. We will fight on.”
Ciaran Shiels, solicitor, of Madden & Finucane said:
“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”.
ENDS
