After Decades, Soldier F Acquitted in Bloody Sunday Case

Wed Oct 29 2025 07:09:57 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

A significant verdict delivered as a former soldier cleared of murder and attempted murder charges stemming from the tragic events of Bloody Sunday in 1972 raises serious questions about justice and accountability in Northern Ireland.

A former member of the Parachute Regiment, referred to as Soldier F, has been found not guilty of murder and attempted murder related to the Bloody Sunday incident in January 1972, where 13 civilians were shot dead during a peaceful protest in Londonderry. The judge highlighted an absence of evidence sufficient to uphold the charges, despite acknowledging that the soldiers had fired upon unarmed citizens.

A former member of the Parachute Regiment has been found not guilty of murder and attempted murder in Londonderry on Bloody Sunday in 1972.

Thirteen people were shot dead and at least 15 others injured on Bloody Sunday in January 1972 at a civil rights demonstration in the Bogside area of Derry.

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

The judge said members of the Parachute Regiment had shot unarmed civilians as they ran away, but the evidence against Soldier F had fallen well short of what is required for conviction.

Judge Patrick Lynch told Belfast Crown Court that the members of the Parachute Regiment who had entered Glenfada Park North on Bloody Sunday had totally lost all sense of military discipline. He described their actions as shooting unarmed civilians fleeing from them on the streets of a British city. He added, Those responsible should hang their heads in shame.

William McKinney's brother Mickey stated that the verdicts marked the end of prosecution of Soldier F for murder and attempted murder of the innocents on Bloody Sunday and expressed pride in their achievements as families and supporters of the victims.

Liam Wray, brother of Jim Wray, shared mixed feelings, indicating that while justice was not achieved, he appreciated the challenges faced by the judge. He recounted the emotional impact of revisiting the horror of Bloody Sunday.

Northern Ireland's veterans' commissioner David Johnstone stated that the trial highlighted the ongoing pain felt by families affected by the Troubles, asserting that the Bloody Sunday families continue to experience significant loss and hurt.

Criticism of the trial's outcome was voiced by political leaders, including First Minister Michelle O'Neill, who called it deeply disappointing, while others, like DUP leader Gavin Robinson, welcomed the acquittal as a common sense judgement. This verdict points to the complicated and unresolved legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.