THE BLOODY SUNDAY INQUIRY: An RUC photographer in civilian clothes took several hundred feet of film during rioting on Bloody Sunday but does not know what happened to it subsequently, the inquiry heard yesterday.
Former sergeant S. R. Penney, giving evidence from behind screens, said he believed three rolls of cine film he exposed that day were sent to Kodak in England for processing on the following day. He did not remember the films being returned. He had no recollection of watching them.
Mr Penney said he and two other police photographers, Constables Simpson and Brown, were on duty that day to produce photographs and film so that the police could identify the people on the Civil Rights march, and any rioters. All three were wearing "civvies" and the other two constables had stills cameras.
After filming the rioting at the army barrier where the marchers were stopped from entering the city centre, he followed paratroopers who entered the Bogside. He heard bangs but could not remember hearing any shots, and he did not see anybody, soldiers or civilians, firing guns, apart from soldiers firing baton guns at the barrier.
When he returned to Victoria RUC station, he was told a photographer was required at Craigavon Bridge, and he went there with Const Simpson. An army officer pointed out a car and an ATO, or munitions disposal officer, introduced himself and said he was going to check it for booby traps.
The ATO called him over and he saw the body of young man lying in the back seat, apparently dead. The witness said he could see what he took to be a nail bomb partly protruding from his right trouser pocket. The ATO searched the other pockets and found three more nail bombs.
Mr Penney said he had a distinct recollection of giving evidence at the Widgery inquiry, but inquiry counsel Mr Alan Roxburgh told him that according to the transcripts he was not one of those who gave oral evidence.
The inquiry continues today.