Ulster Unionist Justice Spokesperson Doug Beattie MC MLA commented on Soldier F Verdict, 

Mr Beattie said, “The trial of soldier F, accused of the murder of two men and the attempted murder of five others, is now over and a not guilty verdict has been delivered on all charges. This is not the verdict the families would have wanted, but it has been clear from the very start that the evidence, hearsay statements from two soldiers present at the time without legal representation, would never achieve the guilty verdict the families so desperately wanted.  The question now needs to be asked: why was this show trial allowed to proceed in the first place when the evidence was so clearly flawed?

“Yet again, those who work in our justice system must answer questions; the lawyers for the families who raised their expectations over many years, knowing the evidence wouldn’t stand up in court, need to be challenged.  The Public Prosecution Service, who allowed this to go to trial, not based on an evidential test but solely on the public interest test. They would have known, without a doubt, that the evidence was unsafe and could not be relied on in court.  Lastly, the Judge in this case, who could have stopped it on two occasions but chose not to. Had this been any other incident, troubles related or not, and the evidence was hearsay evidence that was deeply flawed from two individuals undermined by prosecution witnesses, they would not have allowed this case to proceed. 

“Finally, the former SDLP MLA, Colum Eastwood, who named soldier F using parliamentary privilege, must be challenged on what this achieved. It did nothing to advance the cause of the Bloody Sunday families but advanced the cause of hate against an innocent Lance Corporal. In simple terms, it was an unnecessary political stunt by the former SDLP leader.

“The poor planning, the lack of command, communication, and control; the failure in discipline has all been acknowledged time and time again. More money and time have been expended on Bloody Sunday than any other incidents during the Troubles, and it is now time to direct our attention to those who directed terrorism on that day in Londonderry, and beyond, and set the conditions for this awful incident. In the meantime, soldier F must be allowed to move on with his life after the not guilty verdict. The families will continue to look for accountability for the loss of their loved ones and our thoughts must also rest with them after this long and tiring ordeal”.