Bloody Sunday report to be published later today
June 15, 2010
Posted by:Jonathan Wheeler
So Lord Saville is finally publishing his report from the Bloody Sunday enquiry, which examined the worst day of "the troubles" in Northern Ireland, when in 1972 13 unarmed protesters were killed by British soldiers. It took 12 years to produce the report and the enquiry cost over £190 million - the longest and most expensive public enquiry in British legal history. There is speculation that the report will find that the British army acted unlawfully although even if so, commentators doubt that individual soldiers will face prosecution after all these years. Which would suit the Ministry of Defence of course, not that I am suggesting they have any say in what the prosecuting authorities ultimately decide. But what concerns British ministers is families taking up the law themselves and suing for compensation. Which means soldiers on the witness stand and embarrassment for HM Government. In such cases a civil action may be the only route for justice for the bereaved, and lawyers have their part to play in this too.