Trial of two veterans accused of IRA leader murder collapses

Veterans and supporters of soldier A and C outside Laganside Courts in Belfast where two former paratroopers deny murdering a man in Northern Ireland almost 50 years ago. Picture date: Monday April 26, 2021.

Two former paratroopers accused of the murder of an Official IRA leader have been formally acquitted after prosecutors offered no further evidence at their trial.

The veterans’ trial at Belfast Crown Court collapsed after the Public Prosecution Service confirmed it would not appeal against a decision by Mr Justice O’Hara to exclude statements given by the ex-soldiers about the shooting of Joe McCann in 1972.