Earlier this week, a lawyer representing the family of 15-year-old Daniel Hegarty, who was shot dead by a soldier in Londonderry in 1972, wrote to the director of public prosecutions asking them to contact the organizer and guests of the event. The event in question took place at the Scots Guards Club in Edinburgh on Saturday “to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Operation Motorman involving the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards in the province of Northern Ireland”. The PPS previously said inquiries were a police matter and confirmed correspondence would be forwarded to the PSNI. However, they dispute that they asked the police to investigate this incident and said it was the police’s responsibility to investigate an allegation that a criminal offense had been committed. DUP MPs Gregory Campbell and Ian Paisley criticized the decision and called on the PPS to “explain why it referred such a dubious case to the police for further investigation”. The DUP also confirmed that the party had written to PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne on the matter “to ascertain whether they have received any further contact in relation to this matter and to confirm whether an investigation will be carried out”. Mr Campbell said: “The idea that targeting an event where ex-servicemen meet in a social setting would somehow identify a person who was allegedly involved in wrongdoing 50 years ago is not just ridiculous but worrying. “Many people may question whether the reasoning behind the letter was more aimed at securing evidence of alleged wrongdoing or simply part of an effort to cast a cloud over all who have served in our armed forces. “The police have a duty not just to operate fairly, and to proceed with an investigation without a proper basis would not only breach this, but further damage the fragile public trust.” Mr Paisley added: “The Crown Prosecution Service appears to have set an interesting precedent that it believes a social gathering should be investigated by the PSNI, even though there is no evidence of wrongdoing either at the event or by anyone who attended.” In a statement, a PPS spokesman said: “On 1 August 2022 PPS received correspondence from a legal representative of Daniel Hegarty’s family in relation to the incident on 30 July 2022. “The correspondence explored whether there is an opportunity to proceed with inquiries to locate a witness known as Private A, who was present at the scene when Daniel Hegarty was shot and killed but was not located afterwards. The correspondence has been shared with the PSNI who will determine whether presents a logical line of inquiry. “The PPS has a legal duty to prosecute in cases where a police investigation file is referred. In each case it does so by independently and impartially assessing whether the evidence provides a reasonable prospect of conviction and, if so, whether a prosecution is in the public interest. “All decisions are made without fear or favor and are completely free of any political consideration or influence.” The Hegarty family’s lawyer Desmond Doherty has told the Prosecution Service (PPS) that an investigation into the reunion event may help trace a man known as Soldier A, who has proved “elusive”. Soldier A is believed to have accompanied Soldier B — the man accused of murdering Hegarty in Derry in 1972. After an inquest in 2011, a jury found Hegarty and his cousins ​​Christopher and Thomas, who were with him, posed no threat. Christopher was also shot, but survived. Moves to prosecute Soldier B were halted by the Director of Public Prosecutions on legal grounds. Hegarty’s family is contesting that decision. Mr Doherty said the PPS would be aware of the “disruption” this reunion event had caused. Hegarty was one of two teenagers shot on the Cregan estate in Derry during the operation, which took place in the early hours of July 31, 1972, to retake “no-go areas” in Derry and Belfast. Hegarty was shot twice in the head with a heavy machine gun at almost point blank range. The Scots Guards charity said it did not wish to comment. In a statement the PSNI said: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland is in receipt of correspondence from the Prosecution Service regarding this matter, the content of which is being reviewed and will be responded to in due course.”