The Way the Trial of a Former Soldier Over the 1972 Londonderry Incident Concluded in Acquittal
January 30th, 1972 remains one of the deadliest – and significant – days in multiple decades of conflict in Northern Ireland.
Throughout the area where events unfolded – the memories of that fateful day are displayed on the walls and etched in collective memory.
A protest demonstration was organized on a chilly yet clear period in Londonderry.
The march was opposing the system of detention without trial – holding suspects without due process – which had been put in place after three years of conflict.
Military personnel from the elite army unit killed multiple civilians in the Bogside area – which was, and continues to be, a overwhelmingly Irish nationalist population.
One image became notably memorable.
Images showed a clergyman, Fr Edward Daly, waving a stained with blood white handkerchief as he tried to shield a group transporting a youth, the fatally wounded individual, who had been mortally injured.
Media personnel captured extensive video on the day.
Historical records contains Fr Daly explaining to a reporter that troops "appeared to shoot indiscriminately" and he was "absolutely certain" that there was no provocation for the discharge of weapons.
The narrative of what happened was disputed by the initial investigation.
The initial inquiry found the Army had been attacked first.
Throughout the negotiation period, the ruling party set up another inquiry, after campaigning by bereaved relatives, who said the first investigation had been a inadequate investigation.
That year, the findings by Lord Saville said that on balance, the soldiers had discharged weapons initially and that not one of the victims had presented danger.
At that time government leader, the Prime Minister, expressed regret in the House of Commons – saying deaths were "without justification and unacceptable."
Authorities began to investigate the incident.
An ex-soldier, known as Soldier F, was prosecuted for homicide.
Accusations were made concerning the deaths of James Wray, 22, and twenty-six-year-old another victim.
The accused was also accused of seeking to harm multiple individuals, other civilians, further individuals, another person, and an unknown person.
Remains a judicial decision preserving the veteran's privacy, which his lawyers have argued is essential because he is at threat.
He told the investigation that he had solely shot at persons who were armed.
This assertion was rejected in the official findings.
Information from the investigation could not be used directly as testimony in the court case.
During the trial, the veteran was shielded from sight using a protective barrier.
He addressed the court for the initial occasion in the hearing at a hearing in late 2024, to respond "not responsible" when the allegations were put to him.
Family members of those who were killed on Bloody Sunday journeyed from Londonderry to Belfast Crown Court each day of the proceedings.
One relative, whose brother Michael was killed, said they always knew that listening to the proceedings would be emotional.
"I remember the events in my memory," John said, as we walked around the main locations discussed in the trial – from the location, where Michael was fatally wounded, to the adjacent the courtyard, where James Wray and William McKinney were died.
"It returns me to where I was that day.
"I helped to carry the victim and lay him in the ambulance.
"I experienced again the entire event during the evidence.
"Notwithstanding having to go through all that – it's still meaningful for me."