Bloody Sunday: Judicial review granted over soldier prosecutions

Thirteen people were killed and 15 wounded on Bloody Sunday

The High Court has granted permission to the families of five men killed on Bloody Sunday to challenge a decision not to prosecute former soldiers.

It follows a legal challenge against a 2019 Public Prosecution Service (PPS) decision to bring charges against no more than one soldier.

Permission was given on Thursday for a judicial review.

Solicitor Fearghal Shiels said the families "warmly welcomed the decision".

The judicial review is due to begin in September.

Mr Shiels said the families of Jackie Duddy, Michael Kelly, John Young, Michael McDaid and William McKinney "look forward with confidence to the full hearing in the autumn".

Thirteen people were killed and 15 people wounded after members of the Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in Londonderry on 30 January 1972.

The PPS decision in 2019 was subject to an internal review, requested by the families of some of the victims, in September of last year.

At that time the PPS stuck to its original decision.

One man, Soldier F, remains the sole individual facing charges.

It also emerged on Thursday that the family of another man killed on Bloody Sunday have been granted leave to seek a judicial review against the decision not to charge Soldier F with his murder.

The family of Bernard McGuigan, known as Barney, had lodged a challenge against the decision in February.