Former British soldier David Holden convicted of manslaughter of Catholic Aidan McAnespie in 1988 in Northern Ireland

15 comments

  4. > Holden, who was 18 at the time serving with the Grenadier Guards, had admitted firing the shot which killed Mr McAnespie, but had said he had discharged the weapon by accident because his hands were wet.

    It was a heavy machine gun. It’s a terrible defence.

  5. The charge being manslaughter rather than murder seems to have, in large part stemmed from the claim that Aidan was struck by a ricochet rather than being struck directly by a bullet. Had he been directly struck it would have shown Holden was aiming directly at him when he fired his weapon showing clear intent to kill on his part. The ricochet narrative was repeated unchallenged during the trial, I’m assuming the prosecution didn’t see the need to challenge it as their case of manslaughter was not precluded by the claim of it being a ricochet.

    But here is the thing, physical evidence, and all records relating to it, was destroyed by the State which could have determined wheter Aidan was struck directly or by a ricochet as claimed.

    That evidence was a portion of [Aidan’s ribcage which contained the exit wound](https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0523/965567-aidan-mcanespie/) and would prove or disprove the “ricochet” theory. So This portion of his remains were removed, later destroyed along with all records and Aidan’s family were never informed of this happening.

  6. Pass his cross near the GAA ground coming out of Tyrone to Monaghan alot. Sad to know it was only weeks ago his dad died and never got to see this justice

  7. They’d been threatening to kill him in the months prior to his murder..it’s murder not manslaughter. Can’t see him getting much of a sentence unfortunately..

  8. Assuming it was the MAG he was moving, the gpmg would have to have been loaded, cocked aimed and safety off to fire.

    All things you do not do *unless* ready to fire on someone or something.

    With the FN MAG every action is very deliberate.

    He’s gotten away with murder.

  9. Would anyone know any more details about this, I’m very confused on one aspect. A lot of articles say something along the lines of what the bbc does.

    “Mr McAnespie was killed by a shot which ricocheted off the road and struck him in the back.”

    While later in the article, it says “He (Justice O’Hara) found that Holden had pointed a machine gun at Mr McAnespie and pulled the trigger, while assuming the gun was not cocked.”

    I just don’t understand how both of these can be true, the judge does say that the defendant gave “a deliberately false account” so is this just a part of the false account that is being reported by many news outlets as fact?

    After looking at different articles it seems divided, bbc, guardian and rte all say the bullet ricocheted off the road. Irish times, independent and the journal all don’t mention it

    Edit: I originally posted this comment on NI sub but wanted to ask here to

    2nd Edit: As others have pointed out, the initial autopsy said that the exit wound through the ribs proved it was a ricochet. However, there were no photos of this exit wound so when the body was exhumed for a 2nd autopsy, the ribs were missing. No documents explaining why or when they were removed and destroyed and no photos taken of the evidence before it’s destruction.

    https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2018/0523/965567-aidan-mcanespie/

  10. This piece of garbage coward shot a man in the back.

    He wasn’t a soldier, he was a fucking pussy.

  12. Probably a Bren light machine gun or later variant of a light machine used on a bipod in the prone position meaning the Brit squaddie had his target dead square, safety off had a chambered round and fired. Thats murder clear cut murder.

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