By Ashleigh Mcdonald

Copyright belfastlive

An application to determine whether the statements of two paratroopers who were with Soldier F on Bloody Sunday can be used as evidence in his trial was made in court on Wednesday. The statements made by Soldiers G and H are key to the Crown’s case and the application was made by the prosecution during the second day of the non-jury trial. 13 people were shot and killed by the parachute regiment following a Civil Rights march in the Bogside area of Derry on the afternoon of Sunday January 30, 1072 One former paratrooper who was present that day – known as Soldier F – has been charged with murdering William McKinney and James Wray, and five counts of attempted murder. Denying all the charges against him, the former soldier sat behind a blue curtain in Court 12 of Belfast Crown Court which concealed his identity. Launching the legal application on the admissibility of the ‘hearsay’ evidence, Crown barrister Louis Mably KC said the statements of Soldiers G and H both identified Soldier F as having fired shots in the Glenfada Park North area. Mr Mably told Judge Lynch that the statements – which were given to the Royal Military Police in the early hours of January 31, 1972 – taken together “constitute decisive evidence in the case in that they provide the only evidence which is capable of proving that Soldier F was one of those who opened fire.” He added that if the statements were not admitted, the remainder of the evidence would not be “sufficient” to sustain a conviction. Mr Mably said that all three Soldiers were present in Glenfada Park North, and in his statement Soldier G said he saw two men standing around 25 meters away from him, armed with what he believed were small rifles. Soldier G – who is now deceased – said he fired three aimed shots at one of the men who he saw fall to the ground and said ‘F fired at the same time and I saw the other gunman fall.’ He also gave oral evidence at the Widgery Enquiry later that year and when asked whether Soldier F was firing at the same time as him, Soldier G said: “I know F had fired, he was by the side of me. I could tell he was firing. I was aware he was firing.” Regarding Soldier H’s statement, Mr Mably said he also admitted firing shots in Glenfada Park North and said ‘I saw F fire at a man near the opening in the south-west corner of the square.’ Soldier H also said he fired shots at a youth who had a nail bomb in his hand. In his opening earlier this week, Mr Mably said these two soldiers gave a “false account” that civilians in the crowd were armed in a bid to try and justify what happened. During today’s legal application, he said the statements were “done under compulsion” and without access to legal advice. He added that whilst the statements were “truthful in some respects but untruthful in others”, both did state that Soldier F opened fire and there would be “no big reason to lie about this.” These statements taken together, the senior prosecutor contended, was “decisive evidence” and was “capable of proving” Soldier F fired at civilians. For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.