Belfast Man Convicted After Sending Threat To Bloody Sunday Victim’s Family During Soldier F Trial
A Belfast man has been convicted after sending a menacing message to the family of a Bloody Sunday victim during one of the most sensitive legacy court cases in recent years.
The 41-year-old was found guilty of sending threatening messages to relatives of William McKinney, one of the 13 civilians shot dead by British Army paratroopers during the Bloody Sunday killings in Derry in January 1972.
The court heard the messages were sent during the high-profile “Soldier F” trial, a case examining the actions of a former British soldier accused of murder in connection with the events of that day.
At the height of those proceedings, the man posted a message on social media directed at members of the McKinney family, who had been attending court.
The message warned that if they continued to pursue the case against British soldiers, “the consequences will be swift and deadly”, ending with the line: “Yous have been warned.”
The court was told the message was not general or abstract.
It was directly linked to images of the family at court, making it clear they were the intended target.
Police became aware of the post during the trial and launched an investigation, leading to the man being charged with improper use of a public communications network to send messages of a menacing character.
The offences were linked to two separate incidents during the same period, both taking place while the Soldier F proceedings were ongoing and tensions surrounding the case were high.
Bloody Sunday remains one of the most significant and contested events of the conflict, with 13 unarmed civilians killed during a civil rights march in the Bogside area of Derry.
For families like the McKinneys, the pursuit of justice has lasted decades, with court cases, inquests and legal challenges continuing to revisit what happened that day.
The court heard that sending threats to families involved in such proceedings added further distress during an already difficult and emotionally charged time.
The conviction underlines that threats and intimidation directed at victims’ families will be treated as criminal offences, particularly when they arise in the context of ongoing legal cases.
It also highlights how legacy issues from the conflict continue to generate tension today, with events from more than 50 years ago still playing out in modern courts and public life.
Source: https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/belfast-man-convicted-of-sending-menacing-message-to-family-of-bloody-sunday-victim-6947581
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