Ex-soldier denies murdering two men on Bloody Sunday after bid to dismiss case rejected

A FORMER soldier accused of two murders on Bloody Sunday has pleaded not guilty.

Ex-paratrooper Soldier F, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, will stand trial charged with killing James Wray and William McKinney.

The Parachute Regiment shot dead 13 civil rights protesters in Londonderry on January 30, 1972.

Prosecutors claim Soldier F, also charged with five attempted murders, was part of the troop that “opened fire on unarmed civilians”.

Yesterday, he pleaded not guilty to all charges after his bid to dismiss the case was rejected.

In June, his lawyers made the application, arguing there was an “insufficiency of evidence”.

But in Belfast crown court, judge Mr Justice Fowler said the defence failed to prove evidence against him was weak.

Mr Justice Fowler did grant a defence application for Soldier F’s anonymity to be extended.

The veteran sat behind a curtain in court, as prosecutors say he would be a target for dissident republicans if his identity was revealed.

A trial date will be set on January 24.

Mr Justice Fowler said: “We’ll try to get a trial date as soon as possible.”