Northern Ireland veteran kills himself after 'witch hunt' grilling by police - as it emerges four more ex-soldiers have been interviewed in connection with deaths during the Troubles
- Eddie 'Spud' Murphy killed himself on Thursday and was found by his wife
- He is believed to have survived at least one IRA bomb attack while in Fusiliers
- Six other British Army veterans are currently facing prosecution in N. Ireland
- For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local branch or go to www.samaritans.org
A Northern Ireland veteran killed himself after being quizzed by police as part of the legal witch-hunt into British troops.
His
death came as four elderly veterans were dragged before investigators
over deaths during the Troubles in recent days, it can be revealed.
Eddie ‘Spud’ Murphy, of 1st battalion, Royal Highland Fusiliers, was blown up by the IRA during his Army service but survived.
The father-of-three, 50, who also carried out a tour of Iraq, was found dead by his wife last Thursday.
Veterans said his death came as he was being investigated over his actions by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
They said the threat of prosecution had left him feeling ‘anxious and stressed’.
Last
night his friends said the legal witch-hunt into British troops had to
stop, with veterans saying their comrades were ‘cracking up under the
pressure’.
Eddie ‘Spud’ Murphy, who was blown
up by the IRA and also carried out a tour of Iraq, was found dead by his
wife last Thursday at the age of 50
Last night his friends said the
legal witch-hunt into British troops who served in the province had to
stop, with veterans saying their comrades were ‘cracking up under the
pressure’
The Mail can reveal
that four elderly NI veterans, understood to be in their 60s and 70s,
have also been interviewed under caution in the last few days.
The
men, who served in the undercover Military Reaction Force in the 1970s,
were quizzed over allegations of ‘collusion’ with paramilitary groups
in Northern Ireland.
It comes after
Boris Johnson signed off on new historical legacy unit that is expected
to re-investigate all deaths during the troubles at the cost of as much
as £350million.
In the latest Stormont
deal, the government pledged to set up the controversial Historical
Investigations Unit (HIU) within 100 days to look into Troubles
killings.
The Prime Minister has said that he will protect troops from ‘unfair prosecution’ but it is still unclear how.
Defence minister Johnny Mercer has pledged to find a way to end the witch-hunt by mid-March.
Experts
say the HIU will take at least three years to set up and could run for
over a decade, resulting in hundreds of veterans waiting years for a
knock on the door.
In
the latest Stormont deal, the government pledged to set up the
controversial Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) within 100 days to
look into Troubles killings
Andrew
Sayers, who served in the army during the 70s in Northern Ireland said:
‘This is the first case I know of where you can attribute legal action
of being a cause of depression and suicide.
‘You
can see a clear cause and effect cycle here. Veterans who already have
been investigated and cleared now see no end to their persecution but
suicide. From their viewpoint they see no one they can turn to.
‘They are just cracking up under the pressure of it. Their faith in the legal system has gone. They’re on the edge.’
Mr
Sayers, now an activist who is helping veterans facing prosecution,
said: ‘There are a lot of folks who are emotionally distraught and
feeling very vulnerable.
‘You just need to look at the suicides.’
Referring
to the upcoming investigation by the HIU, he said: ‘The scale of it is
going to be vast, it will make Iraq look like nothing.’
He
said that four veterans had been questioned under caution in the last
two weeks over deaths in Northern Ireland during the 70s.
The Government is facing calls to
end a 'witch-hunt' against veterans, following the suicide of a Northern
Ireland soldier whose actions during the Troubles were being
investigated. Pictured: British soldiers on patrol in 1985 in Northern
Ireland
Mr Murphy, who worked for
a water company after owning a taxi firm in Dorking, Surrey, had tried
to kill himself 3 times before he took his own life last week, his
friends said.
They feared the pressure he felt at being investigated may have contributed to the tragedy.
Ben Ejbili, one of his former employees, said: ‘He was a lovely man. The kindest man you can ever meet.
‘He
had been a soldier in Northern Ireland and during the Gulf War. He was
struggling with his army past but rarely talked about it.
‘Everyone in Dorking loved Eddie.’
Former
Colour Sergeant Trevor Coult said: ‘I’m hearing that he was suffering
from anxiety and stress brought on by investigations into this service
during the Troubles.
‘Veterans who
served during the Troubles are riddled with injuries and stress and
putting them on trial is the same as making them relive the trauma over
and over again and it’s got to stop.’
One
of Mr Murphy’s friends said on Twitter: ‘My friend took his life today.
He served in N. Ireland, was blown up by the IRA and fortunate to
survive.
‘More recently he was subject
to the historic inquiry witch-hunt. He tried to take his life 3 times
before, this time he succeeded.
‘A victim of the IRA. RIP Spud.’
He said his whole family served in the army, adding: ‘This is so tragic.’
His
daughter, Zoe Murphy-Fawcett, posted on social media: ‘Thank you to
everyone for your kind words on this incredibly hard day.
‘My family and I are so thankful. Rest in peace at last dad, I love you, always.’
One former veteran who served with him tweeted: ‘I was proud to know and serve with you Spud Murphy.
‘A young, dedicated soldier.’
He added: ‘End the witch-hunt of veterans.’
Another
added: ‘This needs to stop. My dad was there on that (Bloody) Sunday in
Ireland. And I don’t want these witch-hunts spreading further and
further. This needs to stop.’
Johnny Mercer, the veterans
minister, wrote on Twitter to offer his condolences and promised the
Government was working quickly to protect British soldiers from being
forced through trials decades after serving their country
Ken
Funston of victims’ group SEFF, whose brother was murdered in 1984, by
the IRA, said that the current body looking into the Troubles – the
Legacy Investigations Branch – had spent two years investigating the
actions of the MRF.
‘It’s no surprise that four have been questioned under caution’, he said.
It was alleged that soldiers from the undercover unit, disbanded in 1973, used by the British army killed unarmed civilians.
The
MRF consisted of about 40 men handpicked from across the British army
and they were plain-clothed soldiers carrying out round-the-clock
patrols of west Belfast.
They were tasked with ‘hunting down’ IRA members but it was alleged they shot unarmed civilians.
Mr Funston said: ‘The worry is, what is next? A number of people have been investigated again and again and again.
‘That is why it is vexatious as there have been so many knocks on the door. When is it going to stop?’
He
questioned whether the money set aside for legacy investigations will
be ‘fairly used’ and proportionally investigate deaths at the hands of
terrorists.
NI veteran, Charlie, who
served in the Royal Engineers in the 70s, has set up a local veteran’s
community group which has helped dozens of Northern Ireland veterans.
He said: ‘If they were involved in a firefight then they are worried (about getting a knock on the door).
‘That
worry gets in amongst everything else in their heads and you’ve got
nightmares, panic attacks… just because you’ve served Queen and
country.’
The 69-year-old, who has not
been quizzed by the police yet but will ‘rip up’ any letter he gets
through the door, said he had tried to commit suicide twice.
He
said: ‘I still have nightmares now. We were shot and we were bombed. I
can still feel the heat that came through vehicle when the bomb went
off.’
He said given what he and his comrades dealt with, he felt ‘disgusted’ at their treatment now.
Defence minister Johnny Mercer tweeted: ‘I am aware of this, and my heart goes out to this individual and his family.
‘This Prime Minister has promised legislation to end vexatious and repeated prosecution of veterans without new evidence.
‘He tasked me to do it. By 18th March. And we will.’
A spokesman from the PSNI said they did not comment on named individuals.
2 comments:
A damned disgrace the hounding of Army veterans, most now quite elderly in their 60's and 70's.
Notice how the controlled mass media have been giving blanket coverage to a non-entity that appeared on a TV programme and for weeks now. Yet a real hero like this old soldier hardly registers, and NOTHING on the TV.
RIP the old soldier. Gone are the days you could admire the police, they are the enemy !
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