NI: High Court in London rules in favour of ex-soldiers in bid to block Bloody Sunday arrests
Reading time: 2 minutes
Seven ex-soldiers who brought a judicial review against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) cannot now be arrested and brought to Northern Ireland to be interviewed in connection with the Bloody Sunday killings.
The High Court in London ruled in favour of a legal bid by the seven men, known as soldiers B, N, O, Q, R, U and V in the 2010 Saville Report into the controversial 1972 incident.
The proceedings were launched following the arrest of Lance Corporal J earlier last month. He has since been released on bail.
James Lewis QC, representing the seven men, argued that the ex-soldiers’ lives could be needlessly endangered if they are brought to Northern Ireland.
He also said they would “voluntarily attend for an interview under caution” in England and Wales instead, but would answer “no comment” to all questions.
The case was heard before the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas,Mr Justice Openshaw and Mrs Justice Carr DBE.
In a written judgment, the judges accepted that the seven men travelling and staying in Northern Ireland would “lead at least to some real attendant risk to their lives and personal security”.
They agreed to grant an order prohibiting the PSNI from arresting them in order to interview them under caution.
The men will attend for an interview under caution to be carried out by the PSNI at a police station in England or Wales.
Share this article:
Subscribe to our newsletter to not miss articles like this one:
SUBSCRIBE
