Fresh inquest into death of boy shot in hospital grounds in 1975 to be heard

A fresh inquest into the death of a 15-year-old boy who was shot in the grounds of a Belfast hospital will be heard next March.

Patrick Crawford, 15, was struck while walking through the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital on August 10 1975.

A preliminary hearing at Belfast Coroner’s Court heard the first battalion of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers were operating in the area at the time of the shooting according to Army logs.

A number of civilian witnesses, including a nurse who treated the teenager at the scene, are expected to be called to give evidence, as well as former police officers and soldiers.

Expert witnesses will also be called on the issue of visibility in the area at the time of the incident and maps are being sought from museums.

The inquest is planned to start on March 21 2022 and will take two weeks to complete.

Northern Ireland’s former attorney general, John Larkin, granted a fresh inquest into Patrick’s death after representations from his family.

An inquest in December 1979 recorded an open verdict, a previous preliminary hearing was told.