Shoot to Kill 1982

[Snapchap]

Mad. In the hour and a half since posting the news of the first British Soldier to be convicted since the GFA (one of only handful of them to have ever been convicted in relation to a killing here), and given the high profile nature of the case, and the fact that Aidan was a GAA man, you'd have thought this news might have seen a bit of discussion/reaction 

Just one day after the British Government took it's latest step towards bringing in a blanket amnesty for all it's security force personnel, it seems (if the last hour and a half's activity is anything to go by) that gaaboarders are still more concerned about a week old story where some drunk woman said 'up the ra' to Arlene Foster.

So you only posted it to complain that nobody is commenting on it ? Strange behaviour

I posted it because its a big news story today. Is it not?

[Snapchap]

Interesting to see what unionist politicians have  to say about it

Will they  be as keen  to defend him now he's a convicted killer?

Is it still a "witch hunt" dragging these soldiers through the courts?  Well, today  we have the answer

As NAG1 said, this place is utterly predictable. Carla Lockhard would be posing for photos beside him if she got a half a chance.

[LeoMc]

I very much doubt he will serve much / any time but the verdict does send out the message that there was wrongdoing on both sides.

Carla must not have been able to give him Covid in time.

[pbat]

Was on at the southern side of the border in Aughnacloy that Sunday, as an 11 year old. That murder always stayed with me, remember a very angry Garda telling my father about a young fella been shot for no reason and to find an alternative route home. 

[Rossfan]

Good to see some justice for Aidan.
No doubt there'll be an appeal, bail and foot dragging till he passes away.

[Pub Bore]

Hopefully his family and friends get some sense of justice.  Took far too long.

[trailer]

Finally some justice even if it has come far to late for the McAnespie family.

[Itchy]

I wasnt following the court case but of course familiar with the case. How come only Manslaughter? Always struck me as the act of an utter coward and I hope he enjoys his time in jail and hopefully he never gets out of it.

[LeoMc]

I wasnt following the court case but of course familiar with the case. How come only Manslaughter? Always struck me as the act of an utter coward and I hope he enjoys his time in jail and hopefully he never gets out of it.

From reading some of the reporting it seems that whilst his claim the rifle slipped because his hands were wet was laughed out they accepted his story he didn't realise the gun was cocked.

Well done to Brian and all the McAnespie and Gormley families for not letting this go and for finally getting their day in Court.

[Wildweasel74]

Makes u wonder how this case, like many other were not properly dealt with at the time, how much pressure from England was been put on Judges here at the time, plus am sure the Judges were 90% Protestant/Unionist at the time and impartiality was only a buzz word.

[LeoMc]

Makes u wonder how this case, like many other were not properly dealt with at the time, how much pressure from England was been put on Judges here at the time, plus am sure the Judges were 90% Protestant/Unionist at the time and impartiality was only a buzz word.

It rarely reached the Judges. Soldiers acted with impunity, knowing the higher ups would protect their own. When the RUC were involved they were generally happy enough to let the Army brass deal with it.

[grounded]

Still mentioned in today's headlines that  ' he was a suspected IRA member and a person of interest ' despite no evidence that has been published. He was an innocent young man murdered going to a football match, that should have sufficed.
     

[Snapchap]

Makes u wonder how this case, like many other were not properly dealt with at the time, how much pressure from England was been put on Judges here at the time, plus am sure the Judges were 90% Protestant/Unionist at the time and impartiality was only a buzz word.

It rarely reached the Judges. Soldiers acted with impunity, knowing the higher ups would protect their own. When the RUC were involved they were generally happy enough to let the Army brass deal with it.

Speaking of the role of judges. The Rock Bar in Granemore, Co Armagh was targeted in a gun and bomb attack in 1976. 17 innocent people were in the bar and by a miracle, all survived. All four of those who carried out the attack were on-duty RUC officers. They arrived to carry out the attack in an unmarked police car. Some of those involved returned to the scene shortly after to take statements from survivors. When it came to trial, the judge, Lord Lowry, sympathised with the attackers, saying in his summing up that "more than ordinary police work was needed and was justified to rid the land of the pestilence which has been in existence."

The message then from the judiciary was that Catholics were legitimate targets.

[tonto1888]

Still mentioned in today's headlines that  ' he was a suspected IRA member and a person of interest ' despite no evidence that has been published. He was an innocent young man murdered going to a football match, that should have sufficed.
     

poor that they were allowed to print that

[Milltown Row2]

Still mentioned in today's headlines that  ' he was a suspected IRA member and a person of interest ' despite no evidence that has been published. He was an innocent young man murdered going to a football match, that should have sufficed.
     

poor that they were allowed to print that

Was mentioned outside the court also, have solicitors grounds to question that?