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Soldier Recalls Being 'Yards Away From Comrade's Death'

A court-martial has heard from a soldier who was stood yards away when his comrade was shot in the head.

Ranger Michael Maguire died while taking part in a live-firing exercise on Castlemartin Ranges in south Wales in May 2012.

Lance Corporal Matthew Linacre joined 1 Royal Irish just two months before the incident which led to Rgr Maguire’s death. The exercise at Castlemartin was his first live-firing exercise.

He described to the court the moments before Rgr Maguire was shot, recalling that the section was resting after completing drills on the general-purpose machine gun when they were told to get their kit and head to transport vehicles.

LCpl Linacre said he was a few yards away from Michael Maguire when he heard the distinctive crack and sound of a round coming in over his head and landing a few feet away.

He then told court that he had heard people say:

"That was close."

The next thing he heard was someone saying:

"He's been shot in the head."

Cpl Linacre said he turned to look at Rgr Maguire who was lying on the floor with a head injury.

The court heard how then-Sergeant, now-Warrant Officer Stuart Pankhurst ordered the section to take cover behind the transport vehicles and Cpl Linacre said he saw one of the safety staff treating Rgr Maguire, and another trying to get in contact with an adjacent range to tell them to stop firing.

Warrant Officer Pankhurst denies a charge of negligently performing a duty.

Defence counsel for Warrant Officer Pankhurst asked Cpl Linacre if he had received any order to wear helmet and body armour while in the rest area.

In reply, he said on the day Rgr Maguire was killed he believed there had been an "informal" word that these should be worn in case of ricochet from other ranges.

He was asked if he was sure that order came from Sergeant Pankhurst or if it just general chat. Cpl Linacre replied: