LONDON’S High Court has reserved judgement on whether seven British paratroopers who are facing questions over Bloody Sunday should be transferred to the North of Ireland for PSNI interviews.
The paratroopers – known only as B, N, O, Q, R, U and V – took their case to the High Court to avoid being brought back to the North of Ireland to be questioned about their involvement in one of the most controversial days of Irish history.
PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton sought the paratroopers’ presence in Ireland for interviews as part of the organisation’s Legacy Investigation Branch.
But yesterday, Lord Chief Justice Lord Thomas reserved judgement after the one-day hearing.
He described the case as “a matter of great public interest” – adding that the court’s decision would be given “as soon as possible”.
On Sunday, January 30, 1972, British soldiers opened fire on a civilian march in Derry city, fatally wounding 14 people.
No person has ever been prosecuted for the shootings – though a former British soldier was arrested in Co. Antrim earlier this month before being released on bail pending further enquiries.
Lawyers for the seven former soldiers, who live in England, argued that there was a real danger their lives could be unnecessarily put at risk if they were transferred to the North of Ireland for questioning.
Yesterday marked the first time the paratroopers’ case against Chief Constable Hamilton was heard at court.
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