UK: Trial for 'Soldier F' over Bloody Sunday murders kicks off in Derry

M/S People heading to Bishop Street Court House for 'Soldier F' trial in Londonderry
C/U Bishop Street Court House sign
M/S Media
W/S Solicitor for Bloody Sunday victims Ciaran Shiels exiting court
SOT, Ciaran Shiels, solicitor for some of the victims' families: "[hearsay applications] have been lodged in relation to other two witnesses, who are said to put Soldier F in Glenfada Park and the defence are objecting and challenging these applications. At present, Soldier F retains his anonymity on an interim basis. We intend to make submissions to the public prosecution service that Soldier F is prosecuted in a transparent manner as consistent with the majority of the prosecutions of soldiers in respect of the murder and attempted murder of Irish civilians here."
M/S People heading to Bishop Street Court House *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Ciaran Shiels, solicitor for some of the victims' families: "The families were advised in advance that this was the manner in which this hearing would be likely to proceed. On the 4th of December, it will be largely a case management or timetabling exercise. On that date, it is anticipated that a full mixed committal will be listened. It's anticipated that there could be a couple of days of legal argument in relation to the hearsay applications and then possibly up to three weeks of oral evidence."
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SOT, Ciaran Shiels, solicitor for some of the victims' families: "We expect the trial ultimately to take place in a Diplock court in the Crown Court in Belfast."
M/S Press *CUTAWAY*
SOT, Ciaran Shiels, solicitor for some of the victims' families: "Families have been involved in the Saville Inquiry since 1998. The inquiry did not report publicly until the summer of 2010. The police investigation was postponed and put on ice, effectively because of funding issues. The committal proceedings in this, in respect of this prosecution are voluminous. There are many, many witnesses that attest to the conduct of these soldiers within the confines of Glenfada Park North and the families are in it for the long haul as they always have been."
M/S People leaving courthouse
M/S Bishop Street Court House
SCRIPT
Hearsay applications have been presented at court by the families of the victims killed in the 1972 'Bloody Sunday' shootings in Northern Ireland, to strip the only British soldier with enough evidence for prosecution of his anonymity in Londonderry on Wednesday.
"At present Soldier F retains his anonymity on an interim basis. We intend to make submissions to the public prosecution service that Soldier F is prosecuted in a transparent manner as consistent with the majority of the prosecutions of soldiers in respect of the murder and attempted murder of Irish civilians here," said solicitor for victims' families Ciaran Shiels.
The prosecution ruled, considering the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday, that out of the 17 British veterans investigated for the events that unfolded when civil rights demonstrators were shot at by British troops in Londonderry on 30 January 1972, there was only enough legal evidence to prosecute in the case of 'Soldier F'.
The ex-paratrooper stands accused of two murder and four attempted murder charges with loyalists arguing that lifting anonymity would endanger the soldier's and his supporters' life as the day is marked in history as one of the most symbolic during the Northern Irish sectarian Troubles.
The UK government is providing full legal support to Soldier F, who would now be past 60.
The case was adjourned to 4 December, which will mainly be a "case management or timetabling exercise," for both parties to be able to prepare for the committal proceedings.