How this Legal Case of a Former Soldier Regarding Bloody Sunday Ended in Case Dismissal

Sunday 30 January 1972 stands as among the deadliest – and significant – days in three decades of conflict in Northern Ireland.

In the streets where events unfolded – the memories of that fateful day are displayed on the buildings and seared in collective memory.

A public gathering was held on a chilly yet clear day in Derry.

The march was challenging the system of imprisonment without charges – holding suspects without legal proceedings – which had been implemented after an extended period of unrest.

Military personnel from the Parachute Regiment fatally wounded multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and still is, a overwhelmingly Irish nationalist community.

A specific visual became notably iconic.

Images showed a religious figure, Fr Edward Daly, displaying a stained with blood white handkerchief in his effort to defend a group moving a teenager, the fatally wounded individual, who had been killed.

News camera operators recorded extensive video on the day.

The archive contains the priest telling a reporter that military personnel "appeared to discharge weapons randomly" and he was "totally convinced" that there was no provocation for the discharge of weapons.

That version of events was rejected by the initial investigation.

The Widgery Tribunal determined the soldiers had been shot at first.

In the resolution efforts, Tony Blair's government commissioned another inquiry, after campaigning by surviving kin, who said the initial inquiry had been a whitewash.

That year, the report by the inquiry said that overall, the military personnel had initiated shooting and that not one of the individuals had posed any threat.

The contemporary Prime Minister, the leader, apologised in the Parliament – declaring killings were "improper and unacceptable."

The police commenced examine the events.

One former paratrooper, identified as the defendant, was prosecuted for murder.

Indictments were filed regarding the killings of one victim, in his twenties, and 26-year-old the second individual.

Soldier F was further implicated of attempting to murder multiple individuals, Joseph Friel, Joe Mahon, another person, and an unnamed civilian.

Exists a legal order preserving the defendant's privacy, which his lawyers have maintained is essential because he is at danger.

He told the examination that he had exclusively discharged his weapon at persons who were armed.

The statement was disputed in the official findings.

Evidence from the inquiry would not be used immediately as proof in the court case.

In the dock, the veteran was hidden from public using a blue curtain.

He addressed the court for the opening instance in the proceedings at a hearing in late 2024, to answer "not guilty" when the accusations were read.

Relatives of the deceased on the incident made the trip from Derry to Belfast Crown Court each day of the proceedings.

One relative, whose brother Michael was fatally wounded, said they understood that listening to the case would be emotional.

"I visualize all details in my memory," John said, as we walked around the key areas discussed in the proceedings – from the street, where the victim was shot dead, to the adjacent Glenfada Park, where one victim and William McKinney were killed.

"It even takes me back to my position that day.

"I assisted with the victim and lay him in the medical transport.

"I relived each detail during the testimony.

"Notwithstanding experiencing everything – it's still worthwhile for me."