PPS will not prosecute any more Bloody Sunday soldiers

The North’s Public Prosecution Service has upheld a decision not to prosecute 15 soldiers in connection with Bloody Sunday.
13 people were killed in Derry when British soldiers opened fire on a civil rights march in the city in 1972.
The PPS had previously announced a decision to bring charges against one member of the force, Soldier F. This decision was reviewed at the request of some of the families of the victims.
The results published today show the PPS found there is not enough evidence against the 15 to provide a reasonable prospect of conviction.
Solicitor Ciaran Shiels from Madden & Finucane, who represent the majority of the victims of Bloody Sunday, said this afternoon that submissions extending to almost 150 pages were lodged with the PPS setting out why they considered the decision to only prosecute Soldier F was flawed and unlawful.
He says the families are left with the firm conclusion that members of the Parachute Regiment have effectively gotten away with mass murder. They are now considering a High Court challenge to the decision.
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Madden & Finucane statement in full –
This morning the Public Prosecution Service announced that no further former soldiers of 1st
Battalion The Parachute Regiment will face criminal charges in respect of the events of
Bloody Sunday in Derry on 30 January 1972.
This follows a review of decisions published on 14 March 2019 in which it was announced
that one former soldier, currently known as “Soldier F” was to be prosecuted for 2 counts of
murder and 5 counts of attempted murder.
Ciaran Shiels, solicitor of Madden & Finucane who represent the majority of the victims of
Bloody Sunday said:
“Following the PPS decisions last March our office embarked upon a painstaking analysis of
the reasons relied upon by the PPS to prosecute only one soldier, and only for some of the
murders he was involved in on Bloody Sunday. Submissions extending to almost 150 pages
were lodged with the PPS setting out why we considered their decision making was flawed
and unlawful.
“Today’s decision by the PPS to uphold its original decision and to bring no further
rosecutions is deeply disappointing for the families and wounded who are left with the firm
conclusion that members of the Parachute Regiment have effectively gotten away with mass
murder. They are left with no alternative now but to consider challenging these decisions in
the High Court by way of judicial review proceedings.”