Councillor John Greenwell has written to the Minister for Defence People and Veterans, Johnny Mercer MP and the Home Secretary Priti Patel MP, over the investigation of ex-servicemen’s involvement in the Northern Irish Troubles.
Cllr Greenwell, who is Armed Forces and Veterans Champion at Scottish Borders Council, expressed his concern that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) are reopening investigations into alleged incidents involving veterans, despite many of them being cleared at the time.
The Mid-Berwickshire councillor believes it is ‘disgusting’ that brave ex-soldiers, many of whom are now in their 60s and 70s, are being ‘hounded’, several decades after the conflict ended.
In 2018 it was reported that the Police Service of Northern Ireland said there were still more than 1,000 unexplained deaths stemming from the conflict.
Recently, Johnny Mercer MP, was tasked by the Prime Minister to focus on ending the legal pursuit of former service personnel, especially those who had served during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Currently the Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Bill is passing through the UK Parliament, which will create a statutory presumption against prosecution of current or former Service personnel for alleged offences committed on operations outside the British Islands more than 5 years ago.
The UK Government will soon introduce separate legislation to address the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland in a way that focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of re-investigations.
Cllr Greenwell and local MSP Rachael Hamilton believes that new legislation must protect veterans who served in the Troubles.
Cllr John Greenwell, Armed Forces and Veterans Champion at Scottish Borders Council said:
“I find it utterly disgraceful that investigations into alleged incidents are continuing to plague our brave ex-servicemen and women decades later.
“They lived and fought through extraordinary experiences during the Troubles, only to then have them dug up again in their retirement, and to potentially face court action too.
“They want fairness, not the menace of endless historical allegations.
“I am pleased the UK Government are taking the right steps towards tackling this issue with additional legislation, but we must see our veterans fully protected in earnest".
Rachael Hamilton MSP said:
“Our armed forces have given their all for our country, we have a duty to them.
“The threat of court action and endless investigations into the Troubles is taking its toll on those who served in Northern Ireland during the height of the conflict.
“I welcome the Overseas Operations Bill, and the separate legislation that will be introduced to cover veterans who served in Northern Ireland from fresh probes into Troubles-era cases.
“We need to see this new legislation come into force sooner rather than later."