Former soldier accused of two murders on Bloody Sunday pleads not guilty

A former soldier accused of two murders on Bloody Sunday has pleaded not guilty as he was formally returned for trial after an attempt to get the case thrown out was refused.

Ex-paratrooper Soldier F, who cannot be identified, is accused of murdering James Wray and William McKinney when members of the Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 civil rights protesters on the streets of Londonderry in January 1972.

He is also charged with five attempted murders.

He pleaded not guilty to each of the seven counts as they were read to him during his arraignment inside Belfast Crown Court on Friday morning.

The veteran sat in the witness box, with a thick floor-to-ceiling blue curtain shielding him from the main body of the court to protect his anonymity.

Relatives of Bloody Sunday victims watched proceedings from the public gallery of the court.

The arraignment took place after a defence application to have the case dismissed ahead of trial was refused by judge Mr Justice Fowler.

In June, Soldier F’s barrister made the “no bill” application, arguing there was an “insufficiency of evidence” against him.

In response, the prosecution insisted Soldier F was part of a group of paratroopers that entered Glenfada Park North in the Bogside area of Derry and opened fire on “unarmed civilians” running away from them, with each soldier allegedly firing with an intention to kill.

Delivering his ruling on the no bill application on Friday, Mr Justice Fowler said the defence had failed to convince the court that the evidence against Soldier F was “tenuous in character”.

Mr Justice Fowler did however grant a defence application for anonymity and screening provisions applied to Soldier F to be extended.

The veteran’s defence team had claimed he would be a “prized target” for dissident republicans if his identity was made public.

The judge said he saw no reason why the trial could not take place “early next year”.

A date for trial is set to be fixed at a further review hearing on January 24.

“We’ll try to get a trial as soon as possible,” said Mr Justice Fowler.

Outside court, William McKinney’s brother Mickey said it was a “good day for all victims”.

He said it was another step towards justice for the families of the Bloody Sunday victims.

“Maybe the final step,” he added.

But Mr McKinney expressed frustration that Soldier F had retained his anonymity. He noted that he had appeared before the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday more than 20 years ago without being screened from the victims’ families.

“We are very pleased that Soldier F’s application was refused and that he will now proceed rightly for trial,” he said.

“We are disappointed, however, that the trial judge has granted his application for anonymity and screening.

“It is difficult for us to reconcile the fact that anyone with an interest in the events of Bloody Sunday has been aware of Soldier F’s true identity and his appearance for many years.

“We all saw him give evidence in Central Hall in London in 2003 for two days (during the Saville Inquiry).”

He added: “The events of Bloody Sunday took place 53 years ago next month.

“It is imperative that the court does not tolerate any more delay and that this trial proceeds as a matter of urgency.

“This is a good day for all victims.”

Ciaran Shiels, solicitor for the Bloody Sunday families, said the ruling on anonymity would not overshadow the fact that Soldier F had been returned for trial.

“It’s a great day. It’s a great day for the families,” he said.

“We’re leaving here in very buoyant mood.

“We’ve been used to him being called Soldier F, we’ve been used to him being anonymised and having that cloak.

“But it shouldn’t overshadow the fact that he is now going to stand trial for two murders and all those attempted murders within Glenfada Park North.”