Army
MoD Censured Over Death Of Soldier
The Ministry of Defence has been issued with a Crown Censure over the death of a soldier who was shot and killed during a training exercise.
Fusilier Dean Griffiths was shot in the neck during the "live" exercise at Lydd Ranges military firing range in Kent in 2011.
The 21-year-old's partner was expecting their first child at the time.
The exercise involved troops approaching a specially-built compound intended to simulate the type of building they would encounter in Afghanistan.
The Health and Safety Executive said:
"The compound contained both enemy and civilian targets in order to train the troops' judgment. The targets were made from thin plywood to allow the live bullets to pass through them and avoid ricochets."
The HSE's investigation found that an unused target, which would normally have been laid on the floor to simulate debris, had been stood up in the wrong place as the assault group, including the Fusilier, breached the compound with a simulated explosion.
As one of the troops entered and turned right he saw an enemy target and fired two shots.
Almost immediately someone shouted for the exercise to stop and all the men laid down their weapons.
Fusilier Griffiths, who was serving with the 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh when the incident happened, had been shot as he lined up on the other side of the compound wall.
The bullet had passed through the incorrectly-placed enemy target, through the compound wall and hit Fusilier Griffiths in the neck. He died at the scene.
HSE said its investigators found that the exercise was undermanned and two groups had been merged to cope with the lack of resource.
'HSE found the incident could have been prevented by not using targets as debris on the compound and by introducing a final walkthrough before each run through by the Range Conducting Officer to ensure all targets corresponded to the target plan for the exercise.'
At present, the MoD cannot face prosecution in the same way as non-government bodies and a Crown Censure is the maximum sanction for a government body that the HSE can bring.
Earlier this year, the Beyond Endurance Inquiry, which was set up after the deaths of three army reservists during a training exercise on Brecon Beacons, recommended that the MoD should be stripped of its historic immunity from prosecution when personnel are killed during training as a result of a serious failing in its duty of care. The MoD rejected this proposal.
Hilary Meredith, CEO at Hilary Meredith Solicitors Ltd, provided evidence to the inquiry. She believes the MoD’s refusal to accept the Inquiry’s recommendation is a "scandal":
"In hiding behind crown immunity, the MoD is defying the will of a Parliamentary Inquiry and flying in the face of public opinion. It is a scandal.
"Whilst training has to be realistic, it cannot result in death. These are not mere accidents. This is about a blatant disregard for life and the MoD needs to be held accountable.
"Removing crown immunity would push the MoD to improve its standards and ultimately save lives."
Lieutenant General Sir James Everard, Commander Field Army, said:
"The Army received a Crown Censure from the Health & Safety Executive relating to Fusilier Dean Griffiths, who was fatally wounded as a result of a live firing incident during a training exercise at Lydd Ranges on the 14th September 2011.
"The Army sincerely regrets and has apologised to Fusilier Griffiths’s family for what happened; we lost one of our own that fateful day. Our deepest condolences remain with his family, friends, and soldier comrades."
"Following this tragedy, measures and enhanced levels of supervision have now been implemented to reduce the risk of incidents such as this being repeated."
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