A former British soldier has been found guilty of manslaughter at an army checkpoint in Northern Ireland more than 30 years ago. David Jonathan Holden, 53, was on trial in a Belfast court for the February 1988 death of Aidan McAnespie.
23-year-old Catholic McAnespie was killed in Aughnacloy just after passing through a border check. He was on his way home from a sports game when he was hit in the back. He died on the spot. Holden admitted to firing the shot, but said it was an accident. He had accidentally fired the shot because his hands were wet.
However, according to the judge, Holden was guilty of manslaughter by gross negligence. He said Holden should have seen the consequences of his actions from the moment he pulled the trigger.
Holden is a former British soldier. He is the first veteran to be convicted of a historic offense in Northern Ireland since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.
The verdict comes as the UK government moves forward with a controversial bill proposing an amnesty for people accused of killing or injuring people during ‘The Troubles’ or the Northern Ireland War, the ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland. Ireland that began in the 1960s and lasted until the signing of the Good Friday Agreement on April 10, 1998. Critics say it is an attempt to protect former soldiers.
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