Ballymurphy victims' families to receive significant damages

The families of some of those killed in Ballymurphy are to receive significant undisclosed damages.

The Ministry of Defence is settling a number of civil claims arising from the 1971 shootings which happened in the wake of an Army operation in Belfast.

The settlement covers nine of the 10 killed. Last year an inquest found the victims were "entirely innocent".

The judge said the inquest findings made the conclusion of the civil actions "easier" to reach .

At the High Court in Belfast on Monday, Mr Justice Humphreys said that given the "arduous nature" of the inquest, it was "the best thing" that the claims were settled without further hearings.

The shootings happened after the introduction of internment - an operation in which paramilitary suspects were detained without trial.

Those who were shot dead included a priest trying to help the wounded and a mother of eight.

Civil actions were brought against the Ministry of Defence and chief constable of the PSNI, claiming damages for negligence and misfeasance in public office.

The cases had been listed for a week-long trial, due to get under way at the High Court on Monday.

But confidential settlements were announced in actions relating to the deaths of Fr Hugh Mullan, Francis Quinn, Joan Connolly, Noel Phillips, Daniel Teggart, Edward Doherty, Joseph Corr, John Laverty and Joseph Murphy.

Claims against the chief constable are to be discontinued.

Meanwhile, litigation in connection with the deaths of John McKerr and Paddy McCarthy, as well as others shot and injured by the British Army in the same incidents, is ongoing.

John Teggart's father, Daniel, was among those killed in the series of shootings between 9 August and 11 August 1971.

Speaking outside court on behalf of the families he said "although it was a win, it is tempered with sadness".

"Today's settlement doesn't bring our loved ones back," he said.

"The hurt, the loss is felt every day.

"Today and every day we think of our family members who can't be with us, this victory is for them.

"It is for our loved ones, whose lives were brutally cut short and it is for other families who follow in our footsteps seeking the truth for justice.

"Never give up."

Mr Teggart also criticised legislation introduced by the UK government to draw a line under so-called legacy issues.

A central element of the legislation involves immunity from prosecution for those who co-operate with investigations run by a new information recovery body.

It will also prevent future inquests and civil actions related to the Troubles.

He said: "We have proven that the current legal routes open to all victims of our troubled past do work despite the claims of Brandon Lewis and Boris Johnson.

"All victims deserve justice and full access to the courts, the British government aren't interested in helping us victims."

Janet Donnelly's 41-year-old father, Joseph Murphy, was shot dead on 9 August 1971.

"My only regret is my mummy isn't here," she said.

"She died in 2016, she didn't live to hear the innocent verdict but she didn't need anyone to tell her my daddy was innocent."

Ms Donnelly said her mother went to court after her father's death where she was offered "a measly" £350.

"The case just before my mum was a case of a prized greyhound that had been knocked down, the owner of that dog was offered £700," she said outside court.

"Whereas my mummy was offered £350 for the death of my daddy.

"Where, in any land, is the price of a dog more important than my daddy?"

Solicitor Pádraig Ó Muirigh, who represented eight of the nine families, said: "The confidential nature of the settlement of this legal action prevents me disclosing the settlement figure.

"I can confirm, though, that the figure is significant and that our clients are satisfied with the outcome of this litigation."

Mr Ó Muirigh said while nothing would bring back their loved ones or reverse the traumatic impact these events have had, he hoped this would bring "some small degree of comfort" to the Ballymurphy families.

Nine of the 10 victims were killed by the Army, the coroner said at last year's inquest.

The coroner, now Lady Chief Justice Dame Siobhan Keegan, could not say definitively who shot the tenth victim, John McKerr.

She delivered her findings over the course of more than two hours in May 2021.

She said the deaths took place during Northern Ireland's Troubles in a "highly charged and difficult environment".