RUC officer blamed deaths on rioters, 1972 letter reveals

A few months after Bloody Sunday in 1972 a senior officer at RUC headquarters in Belfast asserted in writing that the blame for…

A few months after Bloody Sunday in 1972 a senior officer at RUC headquarters in Belfast asserted in writing that the blame for the killings rested squarely on those who had rioted on the day, it emerged yesterday.

In a letter to the Director of Public Prosecutions dated April 28th, 1972, a chief superintendent, writing on behalf of the then Chief Constable, Sir Graham Shillington, recommended that prosecutions be brought against most of the 44 people who had been arrested on Bloody Sunday.

He wrote: "It is patently obvious that the law was flouted on that date by a large number of the hooligan element in that city [Derry] who deliberately provoked a riot and were directly responsible for causing the deaths and serious injuries which resulted from that riot."

The letter, revealed during evidence yesterday, accompanied the files forwarded to the DPP concerning the people arrested by soldiers. It notes that 13 people died and a number of others were wounded on January 30th, 1972, "during serious rioting in the William Street/Rossville Street/Chamberlain Street area".

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The letter also noted that the RUC Divisional Commander for Derry (Chief Supt Frank Lagan) "considers that in the public interest, proceedings should not be instituted in any of the 44 cases in which persons were arrested".

It said that officer considered that prosecutions "would merely arouse considerable animosity in Londonderry" and that, accordingly, the public interest would best be served in allowing the events of that date "to recede from the public mind".

The chief superintendent who signed the letter, however, urged that in those cases where there was prima facie evidence against individuals, prosecutions should ensue, "otherwise the law is brought into disrepute and encourages those concerned to continue to act when the occasion arises in a riotous or disorderly manner without retribution".

He recommended prosecution in 33 of the 44 cases. In relation to the others, notes indicate that there was "insufficient evidence" or "no evidence of riotous behaviour". In the event, no prosecutions were instituted against any of those involved, who included a priest and a Knights of Malta first aid volunteer.