Relatives of a teenager shot dead in Derry more than 50 years ago have finally been given the name of a former British soldier accused of his murder.
The identity of the now-deceased veteran, previously known only as Soldier B, was revealed in correspondence sent to the family of Daniel Hegarty’s legal representatives.
In a statement, Daniel’s sister Margaret Brady welcomed the “belated” disclosure.
She said: “We have waited 52 years to find out the name of the soldier who killed our brother and who was to be charged with his murder.”
Fifteen-year-old Daniel was shot twice in the head after the British Army moved into the Creggan area of Derry in July 1972.
Troops were deployed during Operation Motorman, an initiative to clear so-called no-go areas set up by republican paramilitaries at the height of the Troubles.
In 2011 an inquest jury unanimously found that the teenager posed no risk and had been shot without warning.
His 17-year-old cousin, Christopher Hegarty, was wounded in the same incident.
An Army veteran referred to as Soldier B had been facing prosecution for Daniel’s murder.
Criminal proceedings against him were at one stage discontinued after the separate trial of two former paratroopers accused of another Troubles-era killing collapsed.
In June last year senior judges in Belfast quashed the Public Prosecution Service’s decision to drop the case against Soldier B.
He died two months later, reportedly aged 74, ending any prospect of him ever standing trial.
Ms Brady is now pursuing a civil action against the Ministry of Defence over the alleged unlawful killing of her brother.
Christopher Hegarty is also suing the MoD in a claim for personal injury damages.
With the plaintiffs pressing for Soldier B’s name, the High Court was told last month that there had been no application to maintain his anonymity in proceedings listed for hearing in January.
A seven-day “period of grace” was sought for his family time to come to terms with the development before the disclosure.
Ms Brady’s solicitor, Desmond Doherty, confirmed that the details were sent last week.
“We received the name of Soldier B on Halloween, October 31 from the Crown Solicitor’s Office on behalf of the MoD,” he said.
All legal papers in the ongoing civil actions against the MoD are now expected to be amended to include Soldier B’s identity.
According to Mr Doherty and the Hegarty family, the disclosure adds a human element to the tragic events surrounding Daniel’s death.
The statement added: “It is a matter of sadness for us that our parents and our sister, Philomena, died before knowing the identity.
“We have never wished any ill will towards (his) family and that remains our position.”