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Judgments (Law)

Soldier F Found Not Guilty of Bloody Sunday Murders and Attempted Murders

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A Belfast Crown Court judge found Soldier F not guilty of two murders and five attempted murders on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972. The court heard that members of the Parachute Regiment lost all sense of military discipline and fired at unarmed civilians at a distance of 50 metres or less. The judge acknowledged the regiment's proud record in World War Two, but noted that its successors committed heinous acts on Bloody Sunday.

Key Takeaways:

  • Soldier F was found not guilty of two murders and five attempted murders on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in 1972.
  • The judge stated that members of the Parachute Regiment had lost all sense of military discipline and fired at unarmed civilians at a distance of 50 metres or less.
  • The regiment, formed in 1942, had a proud record in World War Two, but its successors committed atrocities on Bloody Sunday.
  • The sole evidence against Soldier F was from two other veterans, Soldiers G and H, which was difficult to rely on.
  • Sinn Fein MP John Finucane expressed disappointment for the families who were impacted by Bloody Sunday, saying it remains a scar on the city.
  • Ciaran Shiels, a solicitor representing some of the Bloody Sunday families, is pushing for a prosecution to be taken without further delay.
  • DUP leader Gavin Robinson acknowledged that the majority of those in the armed forces who served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles did so with honour.

Statistics:

  • 2 murders and 5 attempted murders on Bloody Sunday in 1972.
  • 50 metres: the distance at which members of the Parachute Regiment fired at unarmed civilians.
  • 1942: the year the Parachute Regiment was formed.
  • 1972: the year Bloody Sunday occurred.
  • 2-4: the number of Tank Chaser and Bulldog carriers at the scene according to witness accounts for Soldiers G and H.

Sources:

  • "Soldier F not guilty of Bloody Sunday murders" by BBC News (no date available)
  • "Bloody Sunday: Soldier F found not guilty" by The Guardian (no date available)
  • "Bloody Sunday: Soldier F verdict sparks anger and disappointment" by The Irish Times (no date available)

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