The Public Prosecession Service (PPS) of Northern Ireland has announced that no charges will be brought against fifteen former soldiers and one former alleged Official IRA member who were under investigation for allegedly giving false evidence during the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. The decision was based on the assessment that there was insufficient evidence to secure convictions.

The inquiry had addressed the events of 30th January 1972, a day acknowledged as Bloody Sunday, where thirteen individuals were killed by British paratroopers during a civil rights march in Londonderry. The Bloody Sunday Inquiry, led by Lord Saville and concluded in 2010, found that the killings were unjustified.

Despite this recent decision, prosecutions related to Bloody Sunday continue in some respects, with one former paratrooper, known as Soldier F, currently facing charges of two murders and five attempted murders stemming from the same incident.

The PPS highlighted the high standards of proof required for criminal prosecution and the complexities of the evidence as reasons for their decision. This announcement has been met with disappointment and frustration by the families of the victims. Several family members and their representatives have expressed their dissatisfaction publicly, pointing to the decision as undermining justice, and have hinted at possible further legal actions.

Local representatives, including Foyle MP Colum Eastwood, have acknowledged the ongoing challenges and distress faced by the families, emphasising that their quest for justice is not concluded.

The PPS, in its statement, assured that their decision was made impartially and after careful consideration of all the available evidence. They stated that the lack of prosecutions should not be interpreted as undermining the findings of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry.