Bloody Sunday trial hears legal arguments over soldiers' statements

Soldier F is accused of murdering James Wray (left) and William McKinney (right) on Bloody Sunday

The Soldier F trial has begun hearing legal arguments on whether military witness statements provided at the time of Bloody Sunday in 1972 can be used as evidence.

Soldier F denies murdering James Wray, 22, and William McKinney, 26, as well as five counts of attempt murder.

They were among 13 people who were shot dead by the Parachute Regiment at a civil rights demonstration in the Bogside area of Londonderry in January 1972.

The second day of his non-jury trial is taking place at Belfast Crown Court.

The legal argument involves hearsay applications made by the prosecution.

It is seeking to use statements made by Soldier G and Soldier H from 53 years ago, which it argues is "decisive evidence".

Louis Mably KC told the court it is the only evidence "capable of proving" Soldier F fired his rifle at civilians in Glenfada Park North.

Soldier G is deceased and Soldier H is unwilling to testify in court.

Mr Mably said Soldier H's solicitor has told prosecutors that if forced to come to court, the army veteran would not testify, using his privilege against self-incrimination.

At issue are statements they provided to the Royal Military Police (RMP) in 1972, as well as statements and oral evidence given to the Widgery Inquiry the same year.

The RMP statements were ordered under compulsion, without legal advice being available to the soldiers.

The Widgery evidence was "similarly compelled", Mr Mably stated.

The defence will respond to the prosecution's applications on Thursday.

Soldier F's anonymity is protected by court order.

The veteran, who was a Lance Corporal on Bloody Sunday, is watching proceedings from behind a curtain in the corner of the courtroom.

The trial continues.

Thirteen people were shot dead by the Army on Bloody Sunday

The decision to charge Soldier F was taken by the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) in 2019.

He was one of 18 former soldiers reported to the PPS as a result of a police investigation, which followed the public inquiry into Bloody Sunday conducted by Lord Saville.

But he was the only one charged.

Two years later, the PPS dropped the case after the collapse of the trial of two other veterans who had been accused of a 1972 murder in Belfast.

But the prosecution resumed in 2022 after a legal challenge.

The key evidence in the Soldier F case is statements given by other soldiers at the time of Bloody Sunday.

The trial judge is likely to decide at an early stage if they are admissible.

Who is Soldier F?

• A former British soldier who served with the Army's Parachute Regiment in Northern Ireland during the Troubles

• He cannot be named due to an interim court order granting his anonymity

• Soldier F is being prosecuted for the murders of William McKinney and James Wray on Bloody Sunday

• He also faces charges of attempting to murder Patrick O'Donnell, Joseph Friel, Joe Mahon, Michael Quinn and an unknown person on the same date