On a day charged with emotion and history, a former British paratrooper known only as Soldier F was found not guilty of murder and attempted murder for his role in the infamous Bloody Sunday shootings, more than five decades after the tragic events unfolded in Derry, Northern Ireland. The verdict, delivered at Belfast Crown Court on October 23, 2025, marked the end of a yearslong legal odyssey that has kept the wounds of the Troubles open for many, while raising fresh questions about justice, accountability, and the legacy of one of the darkest chapters in British and Irish history.
Bloody Sunday—January 30, 1972—remains seared into the collective memory of Northern Ireland. On that winter day, members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on a civil rights demonstration in the Bogside area of Derry, killing 13 unarmed civilians and injuring at least 15 others. The shootings shocked the world, deepened sectarian divides, and became a symbol of the violence and injustice that defined the Troubles. According to BBC News, the demonstration was intended to be a peaceful march for civil rights, but it ended in chaos and bloodshed, setting off a chain of events that would reverberate for decades.
Soldier F, whose identity remains protected by court order, was the only member of the British military ever prosecuted for the events of that day. He faced charges of murdering James Wray, 22, and William McKinney, 26, as well as five counts of attempted murder relating to other demonstrators, including teenagers Joe Mahon and Michael Quinn, and Joseph Friel, Patrick O'Donnell, and an unknown person. The trial, held without a jury to preserve Soldier F’s anonymity, lasted five weeks and drew the families of victims, supporters of the former soldier, and observers from across the political spectrum to the courthouse.
Judge Patrick Lynch, delivering his ruling, did not mince words about the conduct of the Parachute Regiment. "They had totally lost all sense of military discipline. They were members of a regiment formed in 1942 at the behest of prime minister [Winston] Churchill, and had a proud record in World War Two," Lynch said, as reported by The Independent. Reflecting on the regiment’s legacy, he added, "Those who fought valiantly against SS Panzer divisions in 1944 have had their regiment sullied by some of their successors shooting in the back unarmed civilians fleeing from them on the streets of a British city. Those responsible should hang their heads in shame."
Yet, despite this condemnation, the judge concluded that the evidence against Soldier F simply did not meet the high bar required for a criminal conviction. Lynch emphasized that the prosecution’s case relied heavily on statements from two of Soldier F’s former colleagues—Soldier G, now deceased, and Soldier H, who refused to testify. "Their statements, the sole and decisive evidence, cannot be tested in a way that witnesses giving evidence from the witness box would be," the judge noted. "Delay has, in my view, seriously hampered the capacity of the defence to test the veracity and accuracy of the hearsay statements." This, combined with the lack of direct testimony and the fading memories of surviving witnesses, ultimately led to the acquittal.
The reaction from the families of the victims was a complex mix of disappointment, pride, and defiance. Mickey McKinney, brother of William McKinney, spoke outside the courthouse: "The families and wounded and our supporters leave this courthouse with an incredible sense of pride in our achievements. 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." According to CBC News, other relatives echoed the sentiment that the fight for justice was far from over, even as legal avenues narrowed.
Liam Wray, whose brother Jim was also killed on Bloody Sunday, described the day as "tough, sad and emotional," adding, "It takes you back to the horror of Bloody Sunday—the wounds Jim had, the situation, the fear, the terror." For these families, the verdict was not just about one man, but about a broader system that, in their eyes, had failed to deliver justice for more than half a century.
Political leaders and advocacy groups responded in ways that reflected the deep divisions that persist in Northern Ireland. Michelle O'Neill, First Minister and Sinn Féin deputy leader, called the outcome "deeply disappointing," praising the dignity and resilience of the Bloody Sunday families in their pursuit of justice. Colum Eastwood, MP for Foyle and leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), was unequivocal: "It is absolutely clear that those soldiers, including Soldier F, shot and killed people on Bloody Sunday. These were innocent people, no weapons, just on a civil rights march, mowed down by the Parachute Regiment of the British Army. That's what happened and that's absolutely clear."
On the other side, veterans’ groups and supporters of Soldier F welcomed the verdict. Paul Young of the Northern Ireland Veterans' Movement said that soldiers who served "with honour and courage" had been "hounded," but would be "heartened" by the outcome. Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner David Johnstone, quoted by CBC News, remarked, "It has become increasingly clear that the admissibility of certain types of evidence, particularly those based on decades-old recollections, remains deeply problematic. Soldier F has faced legal scrutiny in various forms for more than a quarter of a century, and it is my hope that today's ruling by Judge Lynch brings that long and arduous process to a close."
The British government, for its part, acknowledged the pain that the events of Bloody Sunday continue to cause. A spokesperson stated, "We are committed to finding a way forward that acknowledges the past, whilst supporting those who served their country during an incredibly difficult period in Northern Ireland's history." The Ministry of Defence confirmed it had provided legal and welfare support to Soldier F throughout the trial.
The legal journey that led to this verdict was as complex as the history it sought to address. Soldier F was one of 18 former soldiers reported to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) following the 2010 Saville Inquiry, which found that British soldiers had shot unarmed civilians and then participated in a cover-up. While the PPS initially dropped the case in 2021 after the collapse of similar prosecutions, a legal challenge revived the proceedings in 2022, culminating in this month’s trial.
As the families of the victims returned to Derry’s Bogside to hold a moment of silence at the Bloody Sunday memorial, the city once again became a focal point for reflection, grief, and unresolved questions. The verdict may have closed one chapter, but for many, the search for justice and reconciliation continues, echoing the enduring complexities of Northern Ireland’s troubled past.