Lord Dannatt: Troubles veterans 'should not be charged so long after event'

Lord Richard Dannatt described the decision to charge a former soldier with the 1972 murder of Patrick McVeigh as "incredible"

A former Army chief has said he does not think veterans should be prosecuted for historical Troubles killings so long after the event.

It comes after it was announced that a former soldier is to be charged with the murder of a man and the attempted murder of six others in Belfast during the Troubles more than 50 years ago.

Lord Richard Dannatt described the decision as "incredible".

"I revile against a prosecution so long after the event," he said.

Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme, he added: "One has to ask the question: why has it taken 45 or 50 years to produce sufficient evidence that can lead to the Crown Prosecution Service bringing a prosecution?"

"Is this sensible, is it reasonable 30 or 40 years later? My contention is that it's not," he said.

'Hold someone accountable'

A veteran referred to as Soldier F will face a charge of murdering Patrick McVeigh, 44, at Finaghy Road North in May 1972.

He will also be prosecuted for the attempted murder of four other people in the same incident.

This Soldier F is not the same individual involved in any previous or on-going prosecution relating to events in Northern Ireland that year.

The daughter of Patrick McVeigh, Pat McVeigh, said her father deserved to have "someone held accountable for his murder".

Patrick McVeigh, 44, was shot as he spoke with men at a checkpoint

Along with individuals referred to as Soldiers B, C, and D, Soldier F is also to be charged with the attempted murder of two people in a separate shooting at Slievegallon Drive in west Belfast, also in May 1972.

All the shootings involved an undercover Army unit called the Military Reaction Force (MRF), which operated in Belfast in the early 1970s.

Legacy Act

Due to the timing of the decisions, the cases are not affected by the Legacy Act, which will offer amnesties in Troubles cases from later in 2024.

Lord Dannatt acknowledged that the Act is "unpopular" but added that it will remove "the threat of prosecutions" so that people "will be prepared to come forward and say what happened" during past incidents.

"That way, families like the McVeighs will get closure much more quickly," he said.

Pat McVeigh said her father deserved to have "someone held accountable for his murder"

Lord Dannatt added that the prosecution of Soldier F is "an unfortunate event laid on top of a disastrous event nearly half a century ago".

He questioned "why it's being rushed through when the new legislation that will change all this comes in on 1 May".

• Veteran to be charged with murdering man in 1972

• What is the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill?

Public Prosecution Service (PPS) assistant director Martin Hardy said all victims and families involved were informed of the decisions before they were made public.

He added: "Regardless of the differing outcomes in relation to each incident examined, we in the PPS recognise that this is a painful day for all victims and families involved and that they have waited a long time to reach this stage of the process."

Det Ch Supt Claire McGuigan, head of the PSNI's Legacy Investigation Branch, said its thoughts were with the families.

"We recognise that this will undoubtedly be a difficult and emotional time for all of the families involved and we are reflective of the long journey this has been for the families," she added.