British soldiers lost control in 1972 Springhill shootings, inquest finds
An inquest into the 1972 Springhill shootings in west Belfast has found that British soldiers 'lost control' and used unreasonable force, resulting in the deaths of five civilians who posed no threat. The coroner ruled that none of the victims should have been shot and that the soldiers breached rules governing the use of lethal force. The findings, delivered over five decades later, offer long-awaited clarity to families but highlight ongoing tensions over accountability and justice in Troubles-related cases.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Relatives of those killed in the Springhill shootings outside Belfast coroner's court on Thursday. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PAView image in fullscreenRelatives of those killed in the Springhill shootings outside Belfast coroner's court on Thursday. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PANorthern IrelandBritish soldiers lost control in 1972 Springhill shootings, inquest findsCoroner says none of the five civilians killed in incident in Belfast during Troubles should have been shotRory Carroll Ireland correspondentThu 30 Apr 2026 14.30 EDTLast modified on Thu 30 Apr 2026 14.32 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleBritish army soldiers “lost control” and used force that was “not reasonable” in the killing of five civilians in Northern Ireland in 1972, an inquest judge has ruled.Four of the victims –…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at the Guardian.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from the Guardian
