FAMILIES of the Bloody Sunday victims have won an important court challenge against the Public Prosecution Service over its decision not to prosecute a further five British soldiers over the shooting dead of unarmed civilians.
The decision was made by the High Court in Belfast today.
The families of Jackie Duddy, Michael Kelly, John Young, Michael McDaid and William McKinney were this afternoon granted permission by the High Court to challenge decisions by the PPS not to prosecute five former members of Support Company, 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment, for their murders on Bloody Sunday, January 30, 1972.
The judicial review challenge has been listed for hearing for five days beginning on 20 September 2021.
Solicitor Fearghal Shiels of Madden & Finucane said: “The families were notified of the High Court’s decision late this afternoon.
“This application arises out of decisions taken in March 2019 by the PPS not to prosecute these soldiers, and a decision upheld after an internal review of that decision by the PPS in September 2020.
“The families warmly welcome today’s decision and look forward with confidence to the full hearing in the autumn.”
The PPS has only decided to prosecute one paratrooper, known only as ‘Soldier F’, with the murder of the five men.
Tags: