Treatment Of Bloody Sunday Families 'Disgraceful' – SDLP

Leader of the SDLP, Colum Eastwood, has condemned the treatment of the families of the Bloody Sunday victims as "disgraceful".

Mr Eastwood was speaking after the family of William McKinney confirmed that the PPS has failed to challenge anonymity for 'Soldier F' who is charged with the murder of two people in Derry as well as five charges of attempted murder. Colum Eastwood said: "The treatment of the Bloody Sunday families has been a disgrace for the last fifty years and it remains a disgrace today. Once again, they have been forced to press the Public Prosecution Service to act in the public interest and to treat the individual accused of murdering their loved ones in the same way that other defendants are treated. Meanwhile, 'Soldier F' appears to be untouchable.

"William McKinney's family are right to say the PPS should have made an approach to them about a decision not to challenge the anonymity of 'Soldier F'. They, like other victims, have been put through the ringer for fifty years and they are still being treated as if their pain, grief and need for justice is a secondary consideration. It isn't good enough.

"The pretence that the anonymity order means anything is a sham. I named him in the House of Commons using the power afforded to me as an MP, every one of these families already knew his name and everyone in Derry knows who he is. I'm thinking of the families today, I'm standing with them again and I hope that prosecutors will reflect on what they have said."