Army Officer Jailed For 18 Months Over Soldier's Death

An Army officer has been jailed for 18 months after being convicted over the killing of a 21-year-old soldier who was fatally shot during a training exercise.

Captain Jonathan Price, 32, was given an 18-month prison sentence and was also dismissed from the Army.

He was last month found guilty of the manslaughter of Ranger Michael Maguire by gross negligence following a seven-week court martial at Bulford, Wiltshire.

Two other officers, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Bell, 46, and Warrant Officer Stuart Pankhurst, 40, were convicted of negligently performing a duty.

Lt Col Bell lost one year's seniority as a Lieutenant Colonel, which could affect his promotion prospects, while WO2 Pankhurst was fined £3,000.

Ranger Michael Maguire was one of several soldiers who came under machine gun fire during an exercise at the Castlemartin Training Area in Pembrokeshire in May 2012 for members of the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment.

Rgr Maguire, from County Cork, Ireland, died after being struck in the forehead by a stray bullet from a general-purpose machine gun (GPMG).