Plymouth funeral for Troubles veteran Dennis Hutchings

A military funeral for veteran Dennis Hutchings has taken place in Plymouth.

The 80-year-old, from Cawsand in Cornwall, died in Belfast after contracting Covid-19 while he was in the city to face trial over a fatal shooting incident in Co Tyrone in 1974.

Mr Hutchings was given a military funeral following a request by his family to the Ministry of Defence.

The service, which was broadcast on screens outside St Andrew's Church, was opened by the Reverend Joe Dent.

Hundreds of mourners congregated outside the Plymouth church as the hearse arrived, accompanied by dozens of motorbikes from Rolling Thunder UK.

Bikers revved and sounded their horns as they arrived close to the church.

Pallbearers from Mr Hutchings' former regiment, the Life Guards, carried the coffin, draped in a Union Flag, floral tributes and a military hat, into the church.

The family, who previously asked that no political messaging be used by those attending, will later hold a private event in Cornwall.

Mr Hutchings had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of John Pat Cunningham.

Mr Cunningham, who was 27 but with a mental age of between six and 10 due to a learning difficulty, was shot in the back as he ran from an Army patrol in a field along the Armagh-Tyrone border in 1974.

Mr Hutchings had previously lost a Supreme Court challenge to have a trial before a jury.

His case became the focus of attention in recent years as a number of prosecutions were announced against veterans over deaths which took place during Northern Ireland's troubled past.

In July, the UK government confirmed plans to bring forward legislation to ban all prosecutions related to the Troubles.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the legacy proposals would allow Northern Ireland to "draw a line under the Troubles".

The plans, which are opposed by NI political parties and victims organisations, include an end to all legacy inquests and civil actions related to the conflict.

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