Nicola Sturgeon resignation: Reporting by News Letter resulted in written apology over SNP MSP John Mason's description of IRA as 'freedom fighters'

The drama unfolded in 2017 after one of her MSPs, John Mason, declined to support a social media fundraising campaign to prosecute the IRA killers of three Scottish soldiers.

Off duty Scottish Fusiliers Dougald McCaughey, 23, John McCaig, 17, and Joseph McCaig, 18, were lured from a Belfast bar by the IRA in 1971 on the pretext of meeting girls at a party. They were then shot dead in north Belfast.

When asked by campaigners on social media to support fundraising to bring their killers to justice, Mr Mason replied: “...you say Irish Murderers. Others say Irish freedom fighters. I support Scottish soldiers if they do good but not if they do bad”.

He initially defended his comments but after repeated requests from this paper to Ms Sturgeon for comment, he eventually apologised.

However the next day, the News Letter obtained an internal SNP email from Chief Whip Bill Kidd to Mr Mason, apparently showing why the apology was made.

It said other MSPs were being quizzed on the matter by constituents and highlighted the risk of “embarrassment” to Ms Sturgeon.

Mr Kidd called Mr Mason to a meeting, and the MSP issued his public apology some two hours later.

As a result, the families of the three murdered soldiers told the News Letter that the email betrayed a “political motivation” for the apology and questioned its sincerity.

Ms Sturgeon then sent them a written apology.

The News Letter unveiled the events in February 2017 with our sister paper The Scotsman also reporting our findings prominently.

Ms Sturgeon passed on her “deepest sympathies”, to the soldiers' families adding that “the appalling circumstances of their deaths mean that the pain you feel will never go away”.

“No family should ever have to experience what yours has - and there can never be any excuse or justification for the murder of your loved ones, nor for any act of terrorism,” she wrote.

“I am therefore aware that recent comments made by John Mason MSP will have caused you and your family understandable offence and upset.”

She added: "Mr Mason has made clear that he regrets the offence and upset that has been caused by his comments, and that he is extremely sorry that this has happened.”

She said that all UK armed forces serve with “bravery and distinction” and she was therefore aware that recent comments by Mr Mason will have caused them “understandable offence and upset”.

The First Minister added: “I would like to offer my own personal apology to you for the upset that has been caused to you as a result of comments made by a member of my Party.”

David McCaughey, a cousin of one of the soldiers, responded that he would be keen to meet Ms Sturgeon.

“A lot of people have been up in arms about this," he told the News Letter. "A lot of mothers have been saying ‘these were three young boys’.”