Judge allows Soldier F Bloody Sunday murder trial to continue

A judge has ruled that the murder trial of a former British paratrooper over the deaths of two men during the events of Bloody Sunday in 1972 will continue, rejecting a defence application to dismiss the case on the basis that key evidence was unreliable. The veteran, who cannot be named for legal reasons and is referred to in court as Soldier F, faces two counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder relating to shootings in Londonderry on January 30, 1972. The decision was delivered at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday by Judge Patrick Lynch.

Soldier F is accused of killing James Wray and William McKinney in Glenfada Park North and of attempting to murder four other named men and an additional unidentified person. He has pleaded not guilty to all seven counts and has sat behind a curtain during the nonjury trial. The prosecution closed its case earlier in the week.

The most contested evidence comprises previous statements from two fellow soldiers, identified in court as Soldiers G and H, who placed Soldier F in Glenfada Park North and said he had opened fire. Soldier G has since died and Soldier H has indicated he would invoke his right against self‑incrimination rather...