THE wife of a Co Armagh man shot dead by a member of the Parachute regiment more than 40 years ago has welcomed the findings of a fresh inquest saying "the world has seen that he was innocent".
Mary Thornton was speaking after coroner Brian Sherrard said the shooting of her husband Henry Thornton in August 1971 was not necessary, reasonable or proportionate.
The 29-year-old died almost instantly when the soldier, known as Soldier A, shot him twice through the rear of his Austin works van close to Springfield Road police station in west Belfast.
The father of six from Silverbridge, Co Armagh, and his colleague Arthur Murphy were driving to work early in the morning when his van backfired and Solider A, claiming he thought shots had been fired, ran after the van and fired at the driver killing Mr Thornton almost instantly.
Mr Sherrard delivered his findings at Belfast Coroners' Court on Tuesday after a new inquest was held into the legacy killing.
"Soldier A proceeded on the honestly held but false belief that the van's occupants had been involved in firing shots at the station," said Mr Sherrard.
"He would undoubtedly have known that firing two high-velocity bullets at the driver of the vehicle was likely to result in the driver's death.
"At the time of the shooting Soldier A was not under attack."
"Other options to stop or pursue the vehicle were available. In such circumstances the shooting of Mr Thornton was neither a necessary nor a reasonable nor a proportionate response to the situation Soldier A either actually encountered or thought that he encountered."
Speaking afterwards Mrs Thornton along with her solicitor Pádraig Ó Muirigh said: "He was taken from me, he was taken away from his six children - it's good the world has seen that he was innocent.
"I am just so glad these findings have come out - the truth is out at last, we can let him rest now."
Mr Murphy who was a passenger in the van was also present on Tuesday to hear the coroner's verdict.
A decision has yet to be taken by the coroner as to whether Solider A can now be named in light of the findings.
