Judge to rule on Bloody Sunday troops' statements

Soldier F is accused of murdering 22-year-old James Wray (left) and 26-year-old William McKinney

The judge in the trial of the Army veteran accused of murdering two people on Bloody Sunday has said he will deliver his ruling on the admissibility of military statements next week.

Soldier F, whose anonymity is protected by a court order, denies murdering James Wray, 22, and William McKinney, 26, as well as five counts of attempted 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.

On Friday, the fourth day of the former soldier's non-jury trial at Belfast Crown Court, judge Patrick Lynch told the court he would issue his ruling on Wednesday.

The trial has concluded hearing legal arguments on whether those military witness statements, provided at the time of Bloody Sunday, can be used as evidence.

The statements were given by two paratroopers, named Soldier G and Soldier H, who were with Soldier F on Bloody Sunday.

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

Defence questions 'reliability' of statement

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

Defence barrister Mark Mulholland said Soldier G's statements were "riddled with questions of reliability" and gave "changing accounts" of events on Bloody Sunday.

He said there were further concerns about the circumstances, safeguards and processes involved when the statements were originally made in 1972 .

The defence, he added, was disadvantaged by being "devoid of the opportunity to test and challenge" the statements.

Mr Mulholland questioned if the court could have confidence the statements contained "any modicum of reliability."

'Only evidence' to prove Soldier F fired at civilians

Soldier F, who was a lance corporal on Bloody Sunday, is watching proceedings from behind a curtain in the corner of the courtroom.

Earlier this week prosecution barrister Louis Mably KC said the soldiers' statements are the only evidence "capable of proving" Soldier F fired his rifle at civilians in Glenfada Park North.

On Friday Mr Mably said despite the statements' inconsistencies "there is a consistency on the narrow point" that Soldier F opened fire in Glenfada Park.

"It is in the interests of justice for this evidence to be admitted," he said.

Jamie Bryson's 'inappropriate' email

The judge said the email Jamie Bryson sent to him was "like attempting to write to a juror"

Meanwhile, at the outset of Friday's proceedings, the judge told the court an email had been sent to him by loyalist activist Jamie Bryson.

The judge said it is "entirely inappropriate that anyone should try to communicate with a judge in regard to a case at hearing".

"Mr Bryson should know the impropriety... it is like attempting to write to a juror," he said.

Judge Lynch had raised concerns on Thursday about comments made by Mr Bryson in a post on the social media platform X.

The judge described the subsequent attempt to communicate directly with him as a "very serious matter".

It would, he added, be referred to Director of the Public Prosecution Service.