A former British soldier accused of two murders during the Bloody Sunday massacre in 1972 has pleaded not guilty as he was formally returned for trial. The soldier, identified only as Soldier F, faces charges related to the deaths of two civil rights protesters, James Wray and William McKinney, during a violent confrontation between the British Army and demonstrators in Derry on January 30, 1972.
Soldier F, a former paratrooper, is also charged with five counts of attempted murder. These charges stem from the events of Bloody Sunday, when members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on a crowd of unarmed protesters, killing 13 people and injuring several others. The killings have remained a point of controversy and division in Northern Ireland, with calls for justice continuing for decades.
During his arraignment at Belfast Crown Court, Soldier F denied all seven charges as they were read out in court. The veteran sat behind a thick blue curtain in the witness box, a protective measure put in place to shield his identity and ensure his anonymity. This arrangement followed a court order for screening provisions, which were extended after the court heard a defense argument regarding the soldier’s safety.
The arraignment came after a failed attempt by Soldier F’s legal team to have the case dismissed. In June, his defense lawyers argued that the soldier would become a target for dissident republicans if his identity were revealed. This claim was central to their application for anonymity, which was granted by Judge Mr. Justice Fowler.
While the case continues to unfold, it marks a significant chapter in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday. In 2019, the Public Prosecution Service in Northern Ireland announced that Soldier F would be prosecuted for the murders of Wray and McKinney, following a lengthy investigation into the events of that day. However, many families of the victims have long argued that justice for the 1972 killings has been delayed and that the legal proceedings surrounding the incident are fraught with complications.
The trial of Soldier F is set to continue, with the accused facing further scrutiny over his actions during one of the most infamous days in the history of the Northern Ireland conflict.
