John Hutchings boldly stands up for the rights of former soldiers, urging the Labour Party to maintain laws that protect them from legal action.
He expressed deep concern over potential modifications to the Legacy Act, warning that these updates could lead to “taking dying people through the courts,” a situation sadly illustrated by his father’s ordeal stemming from events long past while serving his country.
“We need to stop persecuting the guys who were just trying to protect Britain,” Hutchings said emphatically, stressing that many of these veterans are now far too frail to face prosecution.
Dennis Hutchings, who hailed from Cornwall, battled charges related to the death of John Patrick Cunningham, a man with learning difficulties, during the Troubles in Co Tyrone back in 1974. He tragically passed away in 2021 at the age of 80 while entangled in legal proceedings.
This heroic veteran of the Life Guards regiment, in a mission to clear his name, razor-thin from the effects of his deteriorating health and relying on dialysis treatments, clung to his fight for justice until the very end.
The 2023 Legacy Act aimed to put a closure on new inquiries into past violations during the Northern Ireland conflict was enacted with the promise from then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson to draw a definitive line under this dark chapter. Supporters claimed it established fairness toward both sides of the conflict.
Yet, the Labour Party intends to repeal protective provisions of this law, arguing that it conflicts with the European Convention on Human Rights.
Hilary Benn, the Secretary for Northern Ireland, shared caution as he expressed that the current form of this legislation isn’t viable due to pushback from victims’ advocacy groups and varying political entities in the region.
John Hutchings has voiced his credible concerns about adding to the legal struggle of veterans, calling the speculation about reopening new inquests “ridiculous” and vividly recalling the impact the court proceedings had on his father.
“In that last week, I looked at my dad and thought ‘he could have a week left,’” Hutchings reflected, voicing how emotionally and physically drained his father was during the court process.
The offering of pardons to IRA terrorists, as a contentious outcome of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement, amassed further complexities in these situations.
Contributions from Johnny Mercer, a former veterans minister who championed the 2023 legislation, resonated at Dennis Hutchings’s touching funeral. Attended by countless veterans, Mercer condemned the “grotesque spectacle” of court proceedings faced by Hutchings while honoring him as the quintessential unsung hero.
When asked what message he had for the Government in relation to repealing the Legacy Act, John replied, “Those were young boys fulfilling a tough role under strenuous conditions. Many are exceptional individuals. Stop the prosecutions and turn your focus on pressing issues our nation confronts instead of reigniting old battles. Leave the aging veterans in peace.”
Though the voice of Dennis Hutchings is now silent, John is determined to carry on the fight for justice, standing firm for all veterans affected by these decisions.
