Springhill families accuse Government of ‘silence’ over inquest findings

Natasha Butler with relatives of those killed during the Springhill Westrock killings outside Belfast Coroner’s Court, where the inquest into the 1972 west Belfast shooting found that soldiers did not use reasonable force in shooting dead three teenagers, a father-of-six and a Catholic priest in the Springhill and Westrock areas of Belfast. Picture date: Thursday April 30, 2026. - (PA Wire)

The families of five people shot dead in west Belfast have accused the UK Government of “deliberate silence” following the findings of an inquest.

A coroner concluded almost three weeks ago that British Army soldiers “did not use reasonable force” in the shooting of a Catholic priest, a father-of-six and three teenagers at Springhill/Westrock on July 9 1972.