By Rebecca Black and David Young, PA
Ten people killed in west Belfast 50 years ago were “entirely innocent”, a coroner has ruled.
There was applause at Belfast Coroner’s Court as the findings were delivered following fresh inquests into the 10 deaths in Ballymurphy in August 1971, which included a mother-of-eight and a priest.
Presiding Coroner Mrs Justice Keegan acknowledged it was a chaotic time but ruled that the use of force by soldiers had been “disproportionate” in the nine deaths the British army was found to have been responsible for.
She ruled out any paramilitary involvement by any of those killed, and described them as “entirely innocent of any wrongdoing on the day in question”.
Relatives of 10 people killed in west Belfast in shootings involving British soldiers 50 years ago have welcomed a ruling that their loved ones were “entirely innocent”.
There were jubilant scenes outside Belfast Coroner’s Court as the families of those shot in Ballymurphy in August 1971 emerged to cheers from supporters.
John Teggart, whose father Danny was among those killed, welcomed the “historic verdict”.
“After 50 years they have finally had their names cleared,” he said.
The daughter of Joseph Corr, another of those killed, said the inquest verdict had gone further than she had hoped.
Eileen McKeown said: “I was expecting them just to say they were innocent.
A cavalcade of cars has passed through Ballymurphy thanking the community for its support over the past 50 years.
The convoy made its way through the streets on Tuesday evening beeping horns, hours after a coroner ruled that the 10 people killed in the west Belfast shootings involving British soldiers in Ballymurphy in August 1971 were “entirely innocent”.
The occupants of the vehicles waved white flags with the word “innocent” on them.
Locals lined the streets cheering and clapping, and banged bin lids on the footpaths as the cars made their way past.
Banging bin lids on the streets was was done during the Troubles to warn people the Army was in the area.
Video report by ITV News Correspondent Neil Connery Nobody seemed to care that a young priest was killed as he crawled to waste ground to administer the last rites for a man who was shot in the Ballymurphy massacre, a family member has said.
Father Hugh Mullan is one of 10 victims of the massacre at the hands of the British Army in west Belfast, Northern Ireland, in August 1971 who have been found innocent of wrongdoing at an inquest on Tuesday.
His brother, Patsy, and niece, Geraldine, took part in a church service and reflected on their trauma a day before the inquest findings.
A cavalcade of cars has passed through Ballymurphy thanking the community for its support over the past 50 years.
The convoy made its way through the streets on Tuesday evening beeping horns, hours after a coroner ruled that the 10 people killed in the west Belfast shootings involving British soldiers in Ballymurphy in August 1971 were “entirely innocent”.
The occupants of the vehicles waved white flags with the word “innocent” on them.
Locals lined the streets cheering and clapping, and banged bin lids on the footpaths as the cars made their way past.
Banging bin lids on the streets was was done during the Troubles to warn people the Army was in the area.