On September 15, 2025, a moment that many in Northern Ireland thought might never come finally arrived: the trial of Soldier F, the only British soldier charged with murder over the Bloody Sunday massacre, commenced at Belfast Crown Court. For the families of those killed and wounded on that fateful day in 1972, the opening of this case marked the culmination of 53 years of relentless campaigning, hope, and heartbreak.
The events under scrutiny took place on January 30, 1972, in the Bogside area of Derry—also known as Londonderry—when a civil rights march turned deadly. Members of the British Army’s Parachute Regiment opened fire on unarmed Catholic protesters, killing 13 immediately, with a 14th dying of his injuries months later. In total, 26 civilians were shot that day, in what became one of the most notorious incidents of the Troubles, the three-decade conflict that shaped modern Northern Ireland.
Soldier F, whose identity remains protected by a court order, faces two charges of murder for the deaths of James Wray and William McKinney, as well as five counts of attempted murder involving Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon, Patrick O’Donnell, and an unidentified person. The trial, a non-jury proceeding presided over by Judge Patrick Lynch, is expected to last several weeks and is being held under intense public and media scrutiny.
As reported by Sky News, the prosecution, led by barrister Louis Mably KC, was unequivocal in its opening statements: "The shooting was unnecessary and it was gratuitous and was carried out, given the weapon involved, with an intent to kill and, in any event, at the least with an intent to cause really serious harm." Mably described how civilians, fearful of the soldiers’ advance from Rossville Street, began running across a courtyard in Glenfada Park North to escape. The prosecution contends that the soldiers, acting together and thus sharing responsibility, opened fire as the civilians fled, resulting in two deaths and four wounded. "The civilians in the courtyard did not pose a threat to the soldiers and nor could the soldiers have believed that they did," Mably asserted.
The case against Soldier F is not only a legal reckoning but a symbolic moment for many in Northern Ireland. According to Reuters, relatives of the victims gathered outside the court on the morning of the trial, holding photographs and banners demanding justice. John McKinney, brother of William McKinney, told reporters, "Today marks a momentous day in our battle to secure justice for our loved ones who were murdered on Bloody Sunday. It has taken 53 years to get to this point, and we have battled all the odds to get here. Everything that we have achieved to this point has been through relentless commitment and a refusal to lie down."
The trial’s significance is magnified by the long and complicated history of investigations into Bloody Sunday. In the immediate aftermath, the Widgery Tribunal of 1972 largely cleared the soldiers and British authorities of wrongdoing, a conclusion widely rejected by victims’ families and campaigners as a whitewash. Decades later, the 12-year Saville Inquiry—the largest investigation in UK legal history—concluded in 2010 that there was no justification for the shootings. Then-Prime Minister David Cameron issued a formal apology, describing the killings as "unjustified and unjustifiable." The Saville findings prompted the Northern Irish police to launch a murder investigation, ultimately leading to the prosecution of Soldier F.
The path to this trial has been anything but straightforward. As noted by AFP, the case has faced repeated delays, in part due to the complexities of gathering admissible evidence decades after the events. The prosecution’s case relies on statements made by other soldiers to the Royal Military Police on the day of the shootings—statements that included admissions of opening fire and claims that Soldier F had done so as well. However, the admissibility of these statements is set to be a key issue in the trial, particularly after previous legacy cases, such as the collapse of the trial of Soldiers A and C over the killing of Joe McCann in 1972, were derailed by similar evidentiary challenges.
It is not only the families of the victims who have a stake in the proceedings. The trial has proven deeply divisive within Northern Ireland, where the legacy of the Troubles remains raw. Outside the court, supporters of Soldier F and the wider veterans’ community gathered as well. David Johnstone, Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner, spoke out against what he described as the "wholesale demonisation" of former soldiers. "Many veterans today feel frustrated, feel angry, and indeed feel betrayed by the legacy process since 1998," he said, calling for a fair and balanced approach that recognizes the sacrifices of those who served during one of the darkest chapters in the region’s history.
The legal and political context is further complicated by recent changes in UK legislation. In 2023, contentious laws passed by the Conservative government effectively ended most Troubles-era prosecutions for both former soldiers and paramilitaries. However, as Reuters reports, efforts are underway to repeal this legislation, with Irish and British officials reportedly close to agreeing on a new framework for addressing legacy issues.
For many, the trial of Soldier F is a test of the justice system’s ability to address historic wrongs, even as time, politics, and the frailty of memory conspire to make such reckonings ever more difficult. The prosecution’s case is focused on a "specific and narrow" set of events in Glenfada Park North, rather than the broader context of Bloody Sunday or the Troubles as a whole. Yet, as Mably told the court, the impact of those events has been "long-lasting and profound" for Northern Ireland.
As the trial continues, the eyes of the world—and especially those of Derry—remain fixed on Belfast Crown Court. For the families who have marched, campaigned, and waited more than half a century, the outcome will matter deeply. As John McKinney put it outside the courthouse: "Today, our message is simple: towards justice, we shall overcome."
While the legal process unfolds in the weeks ahead, the trial stands as a stark reminder of the enduring scars of Bloody Sunday and the broader struggle for truth, accountability, and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.