Bloody Sunday: More than Â£900,000 to be paid out in 14 further compensation claims

Thirteen people were killed on Bloody Sunday and more than a dozen wounded.

Nine actions on behalf of people killed by British soldiers in Derry in January 1972 have been settled for £75,000 each, while another five of those wounded are all to receive £50,000.

The resolutions were confirmed at the High Court as part of a series of lawsuits against the British Ministry of Defence.

Claims were brought by victims and their families after a major tribunal established the innocence of all those shot.

Lawyers were in court yesterday to announce resolutions in actions featuring unmarried victims with no dependants at the time.

The 14 cases involved a combined total of £925,000 in damages, plus costs. Claims settled for £75,000 each were brought on behalf of the following nine deceawsed: Hugh Gilmour (17), Gerald Donaghey (17), John Young (17), Jackie Duddy (17), Kevin McElhinney (17), Michael Kelly (17), William McKinney (26), William Nash (19), and James Wray (22).

Five other actions on behalf of some of those wounded on Bloody Sunday have also been settled for £50,000 each. They are: Alana Burke, John Johnston, Patrick McDaid, Daniel Gillespie and Pius McCarron.

A judge was told further discussions are to take place in the remaining lawsuits. He listed these for review in December.

Solicitor Fearghal Shiels, of Madden & Finucane, the law firm representing many of the plaintiffs, said: “We welcome the settlements reached and hope to achieve satisfactory outcomes in the remaining actions as soon as possible.”