Northern Ireland

Bloody Sunday families say passage of time should not prevent justice amid speculation of charges against soldiers

Michael McKinney said his brother William was denied life. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire
Michael McKinney said his brother William was denied life. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire Michael McKinney said his brother William was denied life. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire

RELATIVES of Bloody Sunday victims have said the passage of time cannot be used as an excuse to deny justice for their loved ones.

John Kelly, whose brother Michael (17) was among those shot dead, was responding to speculation that some former Parachute Regiment soldiers are set to be charged in connection with the 1972 killings.

The Daily Telegraph claimed that four former British soldiers, now aged in their sixties and seventies, could be prosecuted.

The newspaper also quoted Conservative MP and former army officer Johnny Mercer as saying the British public would take a “dim view” if charges were brought at this stage.

A Public Prosecutions Service team has been assessing evidence against 17 Parachute Regiment veterans and two former members of the Official IRA who were also involved in Bloody Sunday.

It described the weekend Daily Telegraph article as "wholly speculative" and said it is "likely to cause significant and undue distress to the Bloody Sunday families".

"The PPS is currently making arrangements for the communication of its decisions to all parties on March 14 2019," it said.

"We will not be providing any information in relation to prosecutorial matters in the intervening period."

A murder probe was initiated in 2012 after a long-running government-commissioned inquiry, undertaken by Lord Saville, found that none of the victims was posing a threat to soldiers when they were shot.

Then prime minister David Cameron apologised for the army's actions, branding them "unjustified and unjustifiable".

Mr Kelly said his brother and the other Bloody Sunday victims have been denied justice for 47 years.

“It’s hard to believe that it’s 21 years since Tony Blair set up the Saville Inquiry," he said.

"All of the victims’ parents are dead and around half of those injured have passed away. None of them got to see justice for their loved ones.

“For my family, we were denied Michael’s life, any children he might have had or any grandchildren he might have had. They talk about the soldiers being old men now - my brother never got to be an old man."

Mr Kelly also said no-one should ever forget that Bloody Sunday led to an escalation in the Troubles.

“How many other people died since Bloody Sunday because of the actions of the soldiers?” he said.

Michael McKinney, whose brother William (27) was among the 14 people killed, also said those highlighting the age of the former soldiers should think of their victims.

“My brother was engaged to be married; he should have celebrated his 74th birthday last month but that was all denied," he said.

"Those defending the soldiers responsible should think about that and about the fact that if the soldiers hadn’t carried out those drastic actions, this situation would never have arisen."