Today local MP Sheryll Murray has called for a speedy conclusion to the case of Dennis Hutchings who is a constituent from the seaside village of Cawsand.
Dennis Hutchings has been charged with attempted murder in Ireland by Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS) who also do not want to allow bail because they consider, the seriously ill veteran in his 70s, is a flight risk. He was part of a unit which killed a young man during the height of the troubles in Northern Ireland. The event has already been investigated at least twice before and he was cleared both times of any wrong doing regarding this incident which now happened over 40 years ago.
In a statement Sheryll said, “I have known Dennis Hutchings since he moved to Cawsand and since meeting with him last year I have been working with other MPs, including one who served with Dennis, and we are doing all we can in Westminster to resolve this worrying situation.
“I firstly hope that Dennis can go on holiday and that his bail conditions can be amended to allow this to happen. When you think Dennis has already been cleared of this charge (and did not abscond during previous investigations), is very ill and is 75 years old you realise the argument that he is a flight risk is very, very slight indeed.
“Secondly I hope that this whole case can be resolved quickly and in a way that it cannot be resurrected by the prosecution services again. No-one is arguing that a soldier, guilty of a crime, should be let off. But, once cleared, they should not be hounded by the authorities. That is certainly not the Military Covenant that I want to be part of.”