The Saville Inquiry yesterday told a former paratrooper that he faced four murder allegations as a result of his actions in the Bogside area of Derry on Bloody Sunday.
Counsel to the inquiry, Mr Christopher Clarke, told the witness, known as Lance Corporal F, that the allegations against him were that he shot dead "four people, possibly even more" of the 13 civilians shot dead by paratroopers on January 30th, 1972, and "that you murdered them". He put it to the witness that the evidence he'd given to the inquiry could have constituted perjury.
It was one of the most dramatic days of the inquiry which has so far lasted 376 days. When Lance Corporal F came into the witness box on Wednesday, he admitted that ballistics tests had linked him to the death of teenager Michael Kelly. In the witness box yesterday, he further admitted to the killings of Paddy Doherty and Barney McGuigan and he also accepted that he could have killed William McKinney and wounded three others.
Following Lance Corporal F's admissions, Mrs Bridget McGuigan, the widow of father of six Barney McGuigan (41), who was listening to the evidence, became visibly upset and left the hearing in tears.
Barrister Michael Mansfield, who represents the McGuigan family, told Lance Corporal F that 31 years after Bloody Sunday the family "are grateful" that he had made the admission.
However Lance Corporal F said the people he killed on the day were armed with either nail bombs or weapons.
Mr Mansfield told the witness that there was both civilian and military evidence before the inquiry that he had killed the unarmed Mr McGuigan who, at the time of his death was waving a white handkerchief.
When Lance Corporal F repeated that he no longer remembered discharging any of the 13 shots he fired on Bloody Sunday, he accepted the barrister's contention that he could not therefore reject the evidence against him.
"Would you, for the benefit of his wife who is here and his six children, finally accept and recognise that is what you did. Are you happy to or are you prepared to at least accept that?" he asked.
The witness replied "Yes", but said that the man he fired at was armed with a pistol. Mr Mansfield said Mr McGuigan was shot in the back of the head, armed only with a handkerchief.
Meanwhile Mr Séamus Treacy, who represents the family of teenager Michael Kelly, another of Lance Corporal F's victims, put it to the witness that not only did he kill the youth, but he also "broke a lot of hearts on that day".
Mr Treacy said that the youth's mother was frequently found in Derry's city cemetery "on a cold night with blankets to put them over the grave of her son to keep him warm".The inquiry continues today.