Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has issued an apology to the families of five individuals who were shot dead by the Army in Belfast in 1972, following an inquest that determined soldiers "overreacted to a perceived threat".
The apology follows accusations from the victims' families that the government maintained a "deliberate silence" after the inquest's findings were announced in April.
The victims—Fr Noel Fitzpatrick, aged 42; Patrick Butler, a father of six aged 37; John Dougal, 16; David McCafferty, 15; and Margaret Gargan, 13—were killed on the Springhill estate on 9 July 1972.
In April, a coroner concluded that the Army "lost control" in several incidents related to these shootings.
Addressing the House of Commons, the prime minister described the inquest's findings as "sobering."
What did the Springhill inquest find?
The inquest received its final submissions in April 2024, mere hours before the deadline set by the 2023 Legacy Act, which mandates the conclusion of conflict-related inquests.
On 30 April, coroner Mr Justice Scoffield ruled that the force used in all five shootings was "not reasonable."
He also found evidence indicating that "some sporadic rounds were fired" earlier that evening, rejecting the civilian claim that no rounds had been fired on 9 July.
The court heard that four of the five victims were shot by the same soldier, with two of them killed by the same bullet. Margaret Gargan was shot "directly in the face" by a different soldier on the same day.
The coroner stated that the "force used was not reasonable" and that it did not comply with the "yellow card," which outlines the Army's rules of engagement.
It was also noted that no warning was given prior to the shootings.
Regarding the victims, the coroner described Fr Fitzpatrick, Patrick Butler, and Margaret Gargan as "wholly innocent victims," while David McCafferty was "regarded as an innocent victim."
Although John Dougal's actions before his death "remain unclear and suspicious," the coroner emphasized that he "should not have been shot, having been shot in the back while retreating."
Following the verdict, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued a statement acknowledging the coroner's findings and stating they were "considering them carefully."
"We remain firmly committed to supporting our veterans and to the delivery of truth, recovery, reconciliation, and closure."
At the time the coroner delivered his findings on 30 April, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, expressed his "profound condolences to the families."
"We will all need to read the full coroner's report, which I haven't yet and have not had an opportunity to do so," he added.
