New Inquest into death of Derry man Thomas Friel in 1973 opens

Thomas Friel (21) from Creggan Heights in Derry died on May 22, 1973 after being injured during rioting several days earlier.

At the beginning of the hearing on Monday, the Coroner Judge Mark Reel outlined a brief history of inquests in this case.

He said that the initial inquest was held on March 6, 1974 and returned an open verdict.

The Attorney General ordered a new inquest back in 2013 and in November 2021 a Coroner ruled on the death.

This verdict was quashed by the High Court in November last year and a new inquest ordered.

Monday’s sitting of the new Inquest heard from several soldiers who were on patrol in Derry on the night in question, May 17, 1973.

One soldier, identified as Soldier B, said he had been on patrol when they came under attack from a group of youths.

In response to Michael Chambers KC, counsel for the Coroner, the witness gave evidence of firing a baton round and hitting a youth on the leg.

Soldier B then recalled an incident later on the same night when he again fired a baton round at three men he claimed were leading the rioters.

The witness said he fired a round and initially didn't see anything due to the smoke from the gun, but then saw a man having fallen to the ground.

He said that a group of youths then dragged the man away.

At this point the Coroner warned the witness that he was not obliged to answer any questions that could incriminate himself.

Soldier B then said he would refuse to answer questions as he honestly believed his answer would incriminate himself.

David Heraghty KC for the Friel family asked the witness what he believed had caused the man to fall and the witness said he didn't know.

He accepted that the fallen man was dragged away.

Earlier, a former soldier identified as Soldier D had given evidence of the night.

In his statement he referred on several occasions to ‘DYH’ throwing stones.

The inquest heard that this stood for 'Derry Young Hooligans' but the former soldier said he did not know the term.

Under questioning by Mr Heraghty KC, Soldier D was asked how could such a term be used in his statement if he didn't know it, and he said that it must have been inserted by the Royal Military Police.

Another witness, described as Soldier C said that he had never witnessed baton rounds being fired at the ground to bounce up and hit people as regulations stated.

He said that baton rounds would have been fired at 'the body mass' of people and added that the weapon was 'completely inaccurate'.

This witness also stated that the Royal Military Police were 'on your side'.

The hearing is scheduled for the rest of this week.