Jim Wray: Family 'saddened' but not 'surprised' by Soldier F verdict

“Our family wasn’t surprised. We were saddened but we certainly weren’t surprised and it won’t put us down either.”

Those were the poignantly powerful words of Liam Wray.

Mr Wray was speaking to The Derry News minutes after Soldier F was found not guilty of murdering his brother Jim [Wray] and William McKinney on Derry’s Bloody Sunday - January 30, 1972.

The former member of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment was also found not guilty of the attempted murder of Michael Quinn, Patrick O’Donnell, Joseph Friel, Joe Mahon and an unknown person, on the same day.

Jim Wray and William McKinney who were murdered on Bloody Sunday.

The not guilty verdict was delivered on Thursday morning by Judge Patrick Lynch in Belfast Crown Court.

Ironically, Liam described Judge Lynch’s approaching three-hour-long summing up as “brilliant, apart from the not guilty”.

He added: “My view is well known. I said all along there was very little chance of this trial coming to a successful end but, half way through this morning, our family, sitting up here in the house thought there was a tiny bit of hope.

“So, we went through that whole emotion that you have put away before you relive it again, to come to that end. Really we had no doubt about it. Our family was well aware it was going to be nearly impossible to see to a successful conclusion.

“But, we are delighted with one aspect of the judge’s comments because he said the people in Glenfada Park were innocent, they were running away, and that the soldiers came in with murderous intent and that they are a disgrace to the British Army.

“He emphasised that the people themselves were innocent, quite clearly, and that the intent of the soldiers was to kill,” said Liam Wray.

“The only problem he had was that he couldn’t, by law, go to the balance where he could convict them on that evidence,” added Mr Wray.

“I understand that because of the nature of the protections the soldiers were granted from 1972 onwards, so, honestly, that was more than we were hoping for in that sense. We knew he was going to get off. 

“That was why, on the opening day of the trial, outside the court, I wore the PPS - Parachute Protection Society - tee-shirt because I have no faith in the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) and I make no bones about it,” said Mr Wray.

“Our family can’t appeal this decision. That will never go to trial again,” he added.

The only time there would have been any more legal redress, in my view, was if he had been found guilty, then he would have appealed. 

“We have no way of coming back legally. I am  not a solicitor but that is my view on it. That is the end of the legal road,” said Mr Wray, who described today as “a rollercoaster of emotions”.

Clearly emotional Mr Wray reflected: “You see no matter what you are doing, for other people it is a legal case but for us it is personal. It is our brother. 

“It has been a long road. And every time you sit through a process listening to the evidence again it takes you back to the day and the trauma. 

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“You have to deal with that and you don’t ever become hardened to it. You might think you do but you don’t. Our family weren’t surprised we were saddened but we certainly weren’t surprised. It will not put us down either. 

“We would never have arrived at this day, which I think in some ways was a very good day, without the support of the people of Derry, other people internationally and some legal teams that were very, very good and our own legal team.

“I could not say enough in praise of them and I would like to say to them. ‘You never let us down and the power of your support will be eternally appreciated. Thank you.”