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Hanged soldier took banter 'too personally', inquest told
A 21-YEAR-OLD soldier found hanged at one of Europe's largest military garrisons in North Yorkshire was "prone to being emotionally bullied", an Army officer told his inquest today.
Lance Corporal Derek McGregor, from Blackpool, was found dead at Catterick Garrison in July 2003.
The inquest into his death today heard the combat medical technician with the 3 Close Support Medical Regiment died from asphyxia due to hanging and had a blood alcohol level two-and-a-half times over the legal drink-drive limit when he died.
The proceedings have already been criticised by his heartbroken father Joe who said the inquest will not provide him with answers as to how his son died.
Mr McGregor, of Blackpool, Lancashire, said: "The inquest is just a sham. It will be an open and shut case for the coroner. To them it will just be a verdict of suicide and nothing more. I know that isn't the case.
"I want to know the truth behind why my son died and this inquest will not tell me anything."
Sitting in Harrogate, Coroner Geoff Fell today heard evidence from Lieutenant Colonel Simon Bloodworth who said L/Cpl McGregor set himself unrealistic goals and took Army banter too personally.
L/Cpl McGregor went to see Lt Col Bloodworth in January 2003, when he was stationed in Omagh, in Northern Ireland. In a statement, the doctor said L/Cpl McGregor was having emotional problems with his social and work life and had issues with his childhood and his family.
Lt Col Bloodworth referred him to a community psychiatric nurse but said he was not "medically or psychiatrically unwell" and he did not believe he was an emergency case. However, he said he had a personality which could make him react to situations in an "extreme" manner.
Lt Col Bloodworth said: "I would say he was more than normally prone to being emotionally bullied. I expect that someone getting on at him about his performance...he would take far more hurt from that than most people. He set himself standards a little too high, and I expect took ribald commentary, which is normal among soldiers, maybe a little too personally."
A suicide note headed "Last Words" and signed by the young soldier was read to the hearing and revealed he believed himself to be a failure.
Part of the note read by Mr Fell stated: "I'm tired of living as I can never seem to do anything right in my life and my family could never be truly happy. I don't have any friends and people laugh at me. I've only had one love and I wasn't good enough for her."
The letter instructed for the soldier's belongings to be given to his father and to tell him "sorry for being a failure in life to him".
The inquest continues.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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