Retired Soldier Fails to Turn up to Give Evidence at Inquest Into 1991 IRA Ambush

Coroner told former soldier has refused to comply with subpoena

Graffiti on a fence in a republican housing estate in Londonderry, Northern Ireland, in October 2019. Chris Summers/The Epoch Times

A former soldier who was given a subpoena to attend an inquest into the deaths of three IRA terrorists killed by the SAS in 1991 has failed to show up.

On June 3, 1991, Michael “Pete” Ryan, 37, Lawrence McNally, 39, and Tony Doris, 21, were gunned down in the village of Coagh in County Tyrone by an SAS unit which had set an ambush.

Their car collided with another car and a wall and was engulfed in flames.

It was reported at the time the IRA men were intercepted by the SAS as they drove a stolen car through Coagh on their way to murder a member of the security forces.

Mr. Doris was a cousin of Michelle O'Neill, the former deputy first minister of Northern Ireland, who is the vice president of Sinn Fein, which was originally the political wing of the IRA.

An undated image of IRA man Michael "Pete" Ryan, who was ambushed and killed by the SAS on June 3, 1991. Courtesy of Ryan family

Last week a High Court judge, Mrs. Justice Denise McBride, ruled the former serviceman—who is identified only as Soldier F—must attend to give evidence on a videolink.

His lawyers had sought to have the subpoena dropped on medical grounds.

Soldier F is Inquest’s Last Witness

Soldier F was one of the military personnel who opened fire on the IRA men and is the last witness listed due to give evidence at the inquest.

Ten other veterans who fired their weapons at Coagh have already testified at the inquest.

Soldier F was ordered to give oral evidence and face cross-examination by lawyers representing the families of the dead men.

Lawyers for Soldier F told the High Court last week he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and chronic depression and the impact of giving evidence would be detrimental to his health.

His barrister, Ian Skelt, KC, told last week’s hearing, “He very rarely goes out, suffers nightmares and truly gruesome flashbacks to his previous existence.”

Last month a former IRA man, Vincent McKenna, described the three men who died at Coagh as “psychopaths” who had “no conscience about killing.”

But Karen Quinlivan, KC, a barrister representing the Doris family, told Mr. McKenna he was a “liar” and “attention seeker” and pointed out he had been convicted by a court in the Republic of Ireland for 31 sexual offences between November 1985 and January 1991.

The inquest resumed on Monday at Laganside Courts Complex (accessed via videolink) but Soldier F failed to appear remotely.

Soldier F Refuses to ‘Comply With Subpoena’

Counsel for the coroner, Mr. Justice Michael Humphreys, told the hearing representatives of Soldier F informed the court they “did not intend to comply with this subpoena and did not intend to give evidence to the inquest sitting on Monday.”

Soldier F has provided a written statement about the events of Coagh but has refused to be cross-examined about it.

Mr. Justice Humphreys said he would now apply to the High Court for a default certificate following the former soldier’s refusal to observe the subpoena.

Soldier F could be found in contempt of court and could conceivably go to jail.

Mr. Justice Humphreys said: “Obviously there remains a live subpoena, and Soldier F could take the view that he wants to comply with the obligation imposed by that subpoena, and if he does we will accommodate that evidence as quickly as possible.”

Coroner Hoping for ‘Change of Heart’

The coroner said: “The position remains the inquest is open, if the enforcement process, which has various stages to it, leads to a change of heart by Soldier F then it should be stressed the parties won’t be at any disadvantage as a result.”

Mr. Justice Humphreys said, “Everybody’s interest here is best served by getting to the findings stage as quickly as possible.”

Minister for Veterans' Affairs Johnny Mercer speaks at a commemoration event for nuclear test veterans at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire, on Nov. 21, 2022. PA

The treatment of armed forces veterans of The Troubles in Northern Ireland is a highly controversial subject. In April 2021 Johnny Mercer, a former British Army captain, resigned in protest after Northern Ireland veterans were specifically excluded from legislation designed to protect former armed forces personnel from “unfounded prosecutions.”

Mr. Mercer was persuaded by Rishi Sunak to rejoin the government as a junior minister and he has been steering the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Bill through Parliament.

The proposed law would provide immunity for people accused of crimes during the Troubles, as long as they cooperate with a new truth recovery body, known as the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery.

Soldier F shares the same cypher as another British Army veteran, a former Parachute Regiment soldier, who faces prosecution in connection with the 1972 Bloody Sunday killings in Londonderry.

That individual has been charged with the murders of James Wray and William McKinney and the attempted murders of Joseph Friel, Michael Quinn, Joe Mahon, and Patrick O'Donnell.