Priest 'delayed' while aiding wounded

Priests helped carry wounded away

Soldiers held a gun to the head of a Catholic priest as he attempted to bring the first casualties of Bloody Sunday to hospital, the Saville inquiry has heard.

The inquiry, expected to last two years, is examining the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 14 men, shot by the British Army at a civil rights march in Londonderry on 30 January 1972.

The priest's evidence was presented by counsel to the inquiry Christopher Clarke QC, on the final day of public hearings, before the tribunal rose for an Easter recess.

The inquiry heard that Father Joseph Carolan said that when delayed by soldiers, he challenged them to shoot him as he tried to get John Johnston, 59, to Altnagelvin Hospital and returned to collect Damien Donaghy, then aged 15.

The account was contained in a statement, given to the inquiry by Father Carolan, shortly before his death in the past year.

'I told them: Shoot me"

"The soldier held a gun to my head and I told him, 'Shoot away. If that's what you want to do, do it'," his statement said.

Further along his path was blocked by a solid steel pole which was too heavy for him to move on his own.

He said soldiers initially refused to move it, but did so after he told them that if the wounded man bled to death he would take the matter "to the highest court in the land".

However, on his way back to collect Mr Donaghy, he was stopped at a checkpoint on the Craigavon Bridge over the River Foyle and told he would not be allowed back into the Bogside.

A police officer and soldier stood in front of the bonnet of his car pointing guns at him and in his statement he recalled saying: "Shoot me if you want to, but I'm going back in to do my duty. I will count to three and then I will drive forward."

"I counted one, two, and as I reached three the policeman and soldier jumped away from the back of the car and I got through," he added.

Two years' evidence

The new inquiry into Bloody Sunday has been sitting in Derry's Guildhall for three weeks.

Mr Clarke has been giving his opening submission outlining the huge body of evidence gathered over the past two years by the inquiry team.

His submission is expected to take at least another four weeks after the Inquiry resumes again on 8 May.

The tribunal is also set to consider whether British soldiers called to give evidence by inquiry chairman Lord Saville, should do so in Northern Ireland or in England.

Lord Saville said the tribunal was in the course of obtaining a security assessment. It is thought hearings into the subject will take place at the end of May.

'Army officer went mad'

On Thursday Mr Clarke also read out soldiers' statements that shots were fired as the soldiers prepared to move into the Bogside district in the aftermath of an illegal civil rights march there.

A colour sergeant in the Parachute Regiment said his commanding officer went "completely mad" and was shouting into his radio.

Then inquiry heard that the sergeant, a member of A Company, referred to in the inquiry as 345, said in his statement that shots were fired at soldiers at a barrier - possibly barrier 14 on William Street.

After the second shot rang out the soldier said his CO "went completely mad" and was shouting into his radio "this is the third time I've asked him", his statement said.

He took the officer's words to mean it was the third time he had sought permission to go into the Bogside.