‘IRA chief who killed my father got what he deserved’

The daughter of a British soldier alleged shot useless by IRA commander Joe McCann claims he 'received what he deserved' when he was gunned down.

Anna-Marie Bankier was 23-months-old when Cpl Bob Bankier, 25, was shot useless in Belfast in 1971, turning into one of many first British troopers to be killed in The Troubles.

The terrorists accountable had been mentioned to have been led by McCann, who himself was shot useless by British troops in Belfast in April 1972.

Miss Bankier, now 48, mentioned she was shocked to listen to that two ex-paratroopers who had been a part of the patrol which killed McCann had been to be prosecuted for his homicide.

Cpl Bankier is pictured left, after becoming a member of the military, and proper, following his wedding ceremony day, wherein he married Catherine

Miss Bankier (pictured) was a couple of days in need of her second birthday when her father was killed, leaving her mom widowed with two younger youngsters

She mentioned: 'From what I've been informed, there was an investigation a few years in the past and these males had been cleared of any wrongdoing. So why in any case these years are they being re-investigated?

'It appears to me like they're being hounded only for doing their jobs. It's diabolical and disgusting in any case this time. They're previous guys now. What goal is it serving?'

Miss Bankier, of Ipswich, Suffolk, was a couple of days in need of her second birthday when her father was killed, leaving her mom widowed with two younger youngsters.

Bob Bankier is pictured left with spouse Cathie and son Robert. McCann (proper) was suspected of being concerned in his loss of life and was later shot useless in disputed circumstances in Belfast

Her mom Catherine was informed within the 1970s that McCann and two different males had been chargeable for her husband's loss of life.

Miss Bankier added: 'We knew that McCann was killed a yr after my father died and the 2 others had been killed later.

'So far as I do know, all of the folks chargeable for my dad's loss of life at the moment are useless.

'I imagine in karma and that what goes round comes round. If he killed my dad, then he received what he deserved.

'I really feel sorry for the households of those two troopers who've been charged. It's not good for them or their households to have this raked up once more. I hope they get off.

'It appears to be a little bit of a witch hunt towards troopers for the time being.

Cpl Bob Bankier (pictured left with a pipe) was aged 25 when he was shot useless by the IRA

'We have now seen what has occurred to guys serving in Afghanistan and now they're going even additional again to take a look at issues in Northern Eire within the 1970s.'

The choice to prosecute the 2 former paratroopers identified solely as Soldier A, who aged 67, and Soldier C, aged 65, was taken by the Public Prosecution Service of Northern Eire.

It adopted a adopted a evaluate of McCann's loss of life in 2010 by the Historic Enquiries Group which discovered that three troopers fired at McCann whereas he was unarmed as he tried to flee.

The HET report mentioned McCann was regarded by safety forces as a 'harmful terrorist and somebody who can be armed and who wouldn't hesitate to make use of his weapon to withstand arrest.'

Miss Bankier mentioned: 'I've no reminiscences in any respect of my father, so once I was rising up I needed to depend on what my mom informed me about him. She all the time mentioned that he was a superb particular person and was sensible with children who all the time flocked round him.

The terrorists accountable of killing Cpl Bankier (pictured entrance) mentioned to have been led by McCann, who himself was shot useless by British troops in Belfast in April 1972

'He was born in Birmingham and joined the Military when he was aged 15. He met my mom who got here from Ipswich when she was working within the NAAFI on his base in West Germany. They received married after a couple of months. 

'He was posted for some time in Borneo and we as a household moved round with him to varied bases, dwelling in married quarters. We had been with him in Northern Eire till every week earlier than he was killed when he despatched us again to England.

'My mom used to say it was as a result of she thought he had a sense that one thing was going to occur. I presume it was as a result of he did not like the way in which issues had been going because it was getting worse over there.'

Miss Bankier mentioned that every one she had been informed about her father's loss of life was that he was patrolling in a sq. in a jeep as a result of there had been studies of kids messing round when he was shot within the leg.

She mentioned the he tumbled out of his jeep, dragging away wires from his patrol's radio which meant they might not instantly name for medical assist and he bled to loss of life.

However she mentioned an Military report acknowledged that the shot had severed an artery and that nothing might have been accomplished to save lots of him even when he had obtained medical remedy faster.

The boys are more likely to seem in court docket subsequent yr over the loss of life of Mr McCann (pictured in 1971)

Miss Bankier mentioned: 'I feel his loss of life affected mum fairly badly. She introduced up my brother and I on her personal and by no means re-married. She had loads of affords, however none of them matched my dad.'

She and her brother and mom in Ipswich for simply over a yr after his loss of life earlier than her mom determined to maneuver as a result of she felt her household had been doing an excessive amount of for her and he or she didn't need to be a burden to them

'She actually caught a pin in a map to determine the place to maneuver to and we landed up in Hull.,' mentioned Miss Bankier.

'The primary pin was within the sea so my brother and I had been enthusiastic about dwelling in a ship, so she needed to stick the in once more and this time it went to Hull.

'We visited Ipswich each summer time after which we moved again completely once I was 11. Mum had her struggle widow's pension and he or she additionally did voluntary work with disabled youngsters after we had been in school.

'Once I was little, she did not speak about dad a lot, however as I received older I used to ask extra questions as I used to be noticing that different women had dads and I did not.'

The choice to prosecute the 2 former paratroopers was taken by Barra McGrory(pictured) of the Public Prosecution Service of Northern Eire

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