The case against a former British soldier accused of murdering a teenager in Londonderry in 1972 has collapsed – and a separate case against another defendant in connection with the Bloody Sunday shooting has also collapsed.
A veteran, known only as Soldier B, had been accused of shooting Daniel Hegarty, 15, during an army operation at Creggan’s estate in Derry on July 31, 1972.
Ten years ago, an investigation revealed that Daniel had presented no risk to the soldiers and had been shot twice in the head without warning.
Originally told he would not face prosecution, the veteran learned in 2019 that he was charged with the teenager’s murder.
The other veteran, a former member of the Parachute Regiment known only as Soldier F, was charged with the murder of William McKinney and James Wray in Londonderry.
Thirteen people were shot dead and a fourteenth fatally injured when British soldiers opened fire after a civil rights march in the city in 1972.
The soldier, who remained anonymous during a public inquiry, has also been charged with the attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Joe Mahon, Patrick O’Donnell and Michael Quinn.
The decisions not to proceed come two months after the trial of two former members of the Parachute Regiment took place in Belfast.
Soldiers A and C were charged with the murder of former IRA commander Joe McCann, but evidence deemed essential to the case was ruled inadmissible.
The statements former soldiers made to the military in 1972 and to the historical investigation team in 2010 had not been made with caution.
The prosecution said it would review the files of seven other cases involving ex-combatants, including that of Soldiers B and F.
In May, the British government announced its intention to limit historic prosecutions by imposing a statute of limitations for offenses committed before the Good Friday deal.
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-07-02 10:40:00
