That this House welcomes the verdict delivered by Justice Lynch in which Soldier F was found not guilty on all charges; recognises this outcome as a vindication for a man who served his country; reaffirms the right of all innocent victims and their families to seek truth and justice for the loss of their loved ones; regrets that this and other legacy cases have too often been pursued for political motives rather than in the genuine interests of justice; notes the clear comments of Justice Lynch that the evidence presented did not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution and fell well short of the required standard; believes that the continued pursuit of veterans and members of the Security Forces who served honourably during the Troubles represents a grave injustice; condemns the use of parliamentary privilege to name individuals facing legal proceedings, which undermines due process, fairness, and the safety of those individuals; pays the strongest tribute to the men and women of the Security Forces who served with bravery and integrity, often at great personal risk, to defend democracy and protect the people of Northern Ireland; notes that only a small proportion of deaths during the Troubles were attributed to the Security Forces, most of which occurred during engagements with armed terrorists; and expresses the hope that, following this clear verdict, Soldier F and his family may now live in peace, free from the threat of further vexatious or politiclaly-motivated prosecutions.
