The shootings took place on 9 July 1972 in the Springhill estate, a residential area in west Belfast. At the time, British soldiers said they were firing at gunmen who they believed were attacking them. However, the inquest later heard that two soldiers, identified as A and E, had overreacted to perceived threats and fired prematurely, contradicting the initial military account.
The five people killed were John Dougal, aged 16; Patrick Butler; Father Noel Fitzpatrick, 42; David McCafferty, 15; and Margaret Gargan, 13. John Dougal was a member of Na Fianna Éireann, the youth wing of the IRA, but the coroner concluded that on the balance of probabilities he had not progressed into the adult IRA. The inquest also heard that no military intelligence existed to support the claim that he had joined the adult organisation.
The coroner heard detailed testimony about how Father Fitzpatrick and Patrick Butler were killed by the same bullet as they attempted to cross a road near the scene of the violence. Margaret Gargan was shot in the head while she was talking to friends, in a killing that shocked the community.
David McCafferty was shot in the back while bravely trying to retrieve the body of Father Fitzpatrick from the street. John Dougal was shot while likely running away and taking cover, according to the coroner's findings.
Soldier A fired his weapon from a distance of less than 100 metres at a position known as Corry's timber yard. The coroner noted that there was no evidence to suggest he shouted any warning before opening fire. Soldier E was identified as the individual who fired the fatal shot that killed Margaret Gargan.
In his ruling, the coroner stated that none of the deceased should have been shot in the circumstances they faced. He found that all of the fatal shootings breached the 'yellow card' rules of engagement, which governed when soldiers could use lethal force. The coroner specifically rejected the explanation that the soldiers were responding to a mass coordinated attack, concluding that the Army had overreacted.
The original inquest held in 1973 returned an open verdict, leaving the families without answers for decades. It was not until 2014 that the then Attorney General for Northern Ireland, John Larkin, directed that fresh inquests should be held into the deaths, leading to the proceedings that have now concluded.
The inquest was fast-tracked through the court system because of the approaching deadline imposed by the UK government's Legacy Act. It became the final such case to be completed before a 2024 guillotine that would halt new legacy court cases, adding urgency to the hearings.
The Labour government has announced that it will reform the controversial Legacy Act, which originally included a conditional amnesty for those who cooperated with an information recovery body. Under the new proposals, the government plans to keep the independent commission for reconciliation and information, but will remove the amnesty provisions that had drawn widespread criticism.
David Johnstone, the veterans commissioner, told BBC News that former service personnel are not seeking immunity from prosecution but want fairness and a balanced approach to legacy investigations. He also expressed his view that a coroner's inquest is not the best mechanism to examine historical cases from the Troubles.
West Belfast MP Paul Maskey called for a legacy process that does not offer any form of amnesty to British soldiers, reflecting the demands of many nationalist families. Meanwhile, the government has come under pressure from veterans' groups and some MPs who argue that the reformed legislation still does not provide sufficient legal protections for former soldiers.
The families of the victims have long believed that the five were unlawfully killed by the Army. Many stood outside the court holding a banner that read 'time for truth'. In a joint statement, they said they had endured almost 54 years of grief and unanswered questions, and that the deaths had cast a long shadow over their lives. It remains unclear whether the families will receive compensation or a formal apology, but their fight for accountability continues.