The judge in the trial of the sole British soldier charged with murder over the 1972 "Bloody Sunday" killings of 13 unarmed Catholic civil rights marchers in Northern Ireland has ruled that key military statements can be entered as evidence by prosecutors.

Judge Patrick Lynch said the hearsay statements the prosecution case was "totally dependent upon" should be admitted, but it would be inappropriate at this point to give reasons for his decision.

A lawyer for the families of the victims, Ciaran Sheils, said on Wednesday they were "very, very pleased", describing the evidence as "decisive".

The trial would continue next week, with the prosecution case expected to take between two and four weeks, Belfast Crown Court heard.

Prosecutors initially decided in 2021 not to go to trial over f

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