Paratrooper not guilty of 1972 Bloody Sunday murders

A former paratrooper accused of murdering two civilians in the Bloody Sunday shootings in Northern Ireland 53 years ago has been found not guilty.

Soldier F - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - was accused of killing James Wray and William McKinney during disorder after a civil rights parade on 30 January 1972 in Londonderry, also known as Derry. The veteran was also found not guilty of five attempted murders at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday.

He had denied all seven charges. Thirteen people were shot dead by the Parachute Regiment on the day in question.

Soldier F did not give evidence, but the court heard about previous statements from two paratroopers - known as G and H - who were in Glenfada Park North along with F. The prosecution said their testimony was direct evidence that the defendant had opened fire in the area.

However, the defence argued that they were unreliable witnesses as their statements were inconsistent with each other and with other witnesses who gave evidence. The trial was held in Belfast in front of a judge, not a jury.

Delivering his judgment, Judge Patrick Lynch said the evidence presented against the veteran fell "well short" of what was needed for conviction and "whatever suspicion" the court may have about the role of Soldier F, he was "constrained and limited" by the evidence presented. He said: "To convict it has to be upon evidence that is convincing and manifestly reliable.

"The evidence presented by the Crown falls well short of this standard and signally fails to reach the high standard of proof required in a criminal case; that of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. "Therefore, I find the accused not guilty on all seven counts on the present bill of indictment." Mickey McKinney, brother of William McKinney, one of those killed on Bloody Sunday, said outside court: "The families and wounded and our supporters leave this courthouse with an incredible sense of pride in our achievements." The Bloody Sunday families don't blame the trial judge, he said, rather, "the blame lies firmly with the British state, with the RUC who failed to investigate the murders on Bloody Sunday properly, or indeed at all; and with the British Army who shielded and enabled its soldiers to continue to murder with impunity".

He added: "Soldier F has been discharged from the defendant's criminal dock, but it is one million miles away from being an honourable discharge." The families said they were going to continue their campaign, despite Thursday's acquittal. Ciaran Shiels, a solicitor who represents some of the families, said there was no right of appeal in the case.

They were waiting for a review from the Public Prosecution Service over alleged perjury and said they would push for a prosecution to be taken "without further delay.