A MEMORIAL ERECTED FOR a former British soldier, who stood trial for the attempted murder of a man in Tyrone in the 1970s, has been criticised by the man’s family.  

The monument was unveiled at a military barracks in Holywood, Co Down last Saturday during a memorial service.

It has been questioned by advocates for the family of John Pat Cunningham, partly because the soldier died of natural causes rather than when he was on active service. 

Dennis Hutchings had pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of Cunningham, but the 80-year-old, from Cornwall, died last October after contracting Covid-19 before a verdict could be reached in the trial. 

STATEMENT FROM THE FAMILY OF JOHN-PAT CUNNINGHAM AFTER THE UNVEILING OF A MEMORIAL TO DENNIS HUTCHINGS AT PALACE BARRACKS, HOLYWOOD, COUNTY DOWN pic.twitter.com/1WUrsXsnQV

— Pat Finucane Centre (@FinucaneCentre) August 22, 2022

Cunningham, 27, was shot dead as he ran away from an Army patrol across a field near Benburb in 1974.

The case became the focus of attention as a number of other prosecutions were announced against veterans over deaths which took place during Northern Ireland’s Troubles.

In a statement issued through the Pat Finucane Centre, which advocates for victims of the Troubles, the Cunningham family said that while it accepts “the right of all citizens to honour and commemorate their dead”, it had a number of questions for the UK’s Ministry of Defence (MoD).

However, an Army spokesperson has said that the memorial garden is not an officially recognised MoD memorial.

John Pat Cunningham was shot dead as he ran from an Army patrol in 1974 Pat Finucane Centre / PA Pat Finucane Centre / PA / PA

“…In the specific circumstances of this week’s events, (the family) would like to ask the Ministry of Defence the basis for allowing a monument to be erected on MoD property,” the statement read.

It added that Hutchings “had never offered any explanation of his actions to police on the day that John Pat was shot dead and… refused to cooperate with the RUC in the immediate aftermath” of the shooting of Cunningham, who it described as “a vulnerable adult who posed no threat” to soldiers.

The centre also raised whether the MoD had made any efforts to consult the family over “erecting a monument to the man accused in connection with John Pat’s death”.  

“Also they would ask the MoD if there are plans to erect monuments to other soldiers who pass away while there remain unresolved legal actions against them.” 

In a statement, an Army spokesperson said: “The Palace Barracks Memorial Garden is not an officially recognised MoD memorial.”

“As this is a private memorial garden we do not determine what is included and the memorials are erected and maintained entirely at private expense,” the spokesperson said.

With reporting from the Press Association