Murder prosecution of ex-soldier for Troubles death reaches court for first time
The veteran is accused of shooting dead Patrick McVeigh in an incident in Belfast in 1972.
The case of a former British soldier being prosecuted for the murder of a man in Belfast in 1972 has come before a court for the first time.
Soldier F is accused of the murder of Patrick McVeigh, 44, who was shot at the junction of Finaghy Road North and Riverdale Park South in the city on May 13 1972.
He is also being prosecuted for the attempted murder of four other victims wounded in the same incident.
The defendant is not the same veteran, also referred to as Soldier F, who is currently awaiting trial accused of two murders on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry in January 1972.
The ex-soldier and three other veterans are also facing attempted murder counts related to a separate incident in Belfast the day before Mr McVeigh’s death.
Soldier F and three other former soldiers – known as Soldiers B, C and D – are being prosecuted for attempted murder of two people in a shooting incident in Slievegallion Drive on May 12 1972.
The soldiers all belonged to a temporary Army unit, known as the Military Reaction Force (MRF), that was operating in Belfast in 1972.
The cases against all four veterans were mentioned in court on Wednesday.
None of the men appeared in person in the courtroom.
The relatively short hearing ended with the case being adjourned for six weeks.
Lawyers for the accused suggested that a legal ruling expected at the initial stages of the Bloody Sunday trial in September could have implications for their case.
As such, they suggested that consideration should be given to waiting until that ruling is given before progressing the case further.
A barrister for Soldier B also indicated that he would be applying at a later date to have the prosecution stayed, given the length of time that has passed since the incidents in 1972.
Mr McVeigh’s daughter Patricia was in court for the proceedings.
Outside after the hearing, she said “time was of the essence” in terms of progressing the prosecution.
“We have fought a long, hard road to get here today, and hopefully this is the last stage of truth and justice for my father,” she said.
