Bloody Sunday Report: The one-month inquiry whose conclusions intensified the damage

While the horror of Bloody Sunday sent shockwaves across the world, the judicial inquiry that followed arguably did as much damage.

Led by Lord Chief Justice John Widgery, it effectively absolved the soldiers of any blame and claimed many of the dead had been armed. Families' outrage at his report, which at its most critical said the soldiers' actions "bordered on the reckless", spurred the subsequent campaign for a fresh investigation.

Former Bishop of Derry Edward Daly, who was pictured tending to the dying as shots rang round him on January 30, 1972, said: "I always call Widgery the second atrocity, which it was,"

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Derry-based academic Professor Paul Arthur said the tribunal – ordered by Prime Minister Edward Heath – had the appearance of a cover up from the outset.

"When Widgery was invited to do the job by Ted Heath, Heath apparently told him to remember they were fighting a propaganda war as much as anything else."

UK Home Secretary Reginald Maudling announced the inquiry the day after the shootings, after telling the House of Commons the paratroopers had acted in self defence, returning fire after coming under attack from gunmen and bombers.

While the Saville tribunal took five years to gather evidence, Widgery completed the task in little over a month, accepting evidence from just 114 witnesses. A number of those who had been shot, some still recovering in hospital, were not even called.

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Hundreds of written statements made by other civilian witnesses were not admitted, leading to calls for local people to boycott the tribunal.

The findings were published on April 19 1972, and highlighted strong suspicions some of those killed had been discharging weapons or handling bombs on the day.

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