Bloody Sunday: Soldier F may appear in court next month

13 people were killed on Bloody Sunday in 1972. Another person died months later, from related injuries Credit: UTV

A former soldier accused of murder on Bloody Sunday may appear in court in Londonderry next month.

The Public Prosecution Service has told a number of the Bloody Sunday families that the former paratrooper identified only as Soldier F is scheduled to appear before Londonderry Magistrate's Court on Wednesday 18 September.

This would be the first public stage of the prosecution of Soldier F.

The ex-paratrooper is to be charged with murdering James Wray and William McKinney on Bloody Sunday, January 30th 1972, and attempting to murder Michael Quinn, Joseph Friel, Joseph Mahon and the late Patrick O'Donnell.

13 people died on Bloody Sunday when members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire in Derry's Bogside.

The hearing will be before a Magistrate but because of intense media interest and the large number of members of the public likely to be present, it will take place in the larger Courtroom No.4.

This first listing of Soldier F's case will be a committal hearing for the case to be transferred to the Crown Court where any trial would take place. The defence may challenge the case at the committal stage, and if that happens a full committal hearing will NOT go ahead. Instead, the case would adjourn for further hearings.

Normally the accused must attend a committal hearing. But if a challenge is likely to be made then the accused need not appear in person.

Meantime, full court papers have not yet been served on Soldier F.