Coroner slams lack of training and vital equipment for troops

Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner David Masters pledged to raise his concerns with the Ministry of Defence at the end of an inquest into the deaths of Corporal Sarah Bryant, 26, and three special forces comrades.

He recorded unlawful killing verdicts for Cpl Bryant and special forces reservists Corporal Sean Robert Reeve, 28, Lance Corporal Richard Larkin, 39, and Private Paul Stout, 31, who died when their Snatch Land Rover was hit by a roadside bomb in June 2008.

The six-day inquest into the deaths, held at Trowbridge Town Hall, heard a string of criticisms of their equipment and training.

Soldiers had not been shown how to use metal detectors in the UK owing to an equipment shortage. Troops were forced to hunt out an expert on base in Afghanistan who passed on his knowledge.

An Ebex metal detector became available only four months into the deployment, until which point the soldiers had to scan the ground for improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Summing up yesterday, Mr Masters also highlighted the limitations of Snatch Land Rovers.

The inquest heard they had requested a replacement for their Snatch Land Rover but was refused owing to equipment shortages. The vehicles could not cover soft ground and became stuck in a little water, which restricted the unit to driving along dangerous tracks.

"The evidence has clearly shown that Snatch Land Rovers were not the preferred vehicle of choice for the evolving task upon which the PMT (Police Mentoring Team) were engaged.

"There was significant disquiet about these vehicles being the only resource available to this unit for a variety of reasons."

He said his report to the MoD would seek a review on the use of Snatch Land Rovers by such a specialist unit.

"It seems that Snatch Land Rovers may not be currently used but the evidence which we have heard at this inquest indicates to me that this needs to be confirmed by the Minister," he added.

Speaking after the inquest the families of Cpl Reeve and L Cpl Larkin called for lessons to be learned.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown was forced to defend the use of the vehicles last week when he gave evidence to the Iraq inquiry. And officials travelling with Mr Brown during a visit to Afghanistan this weekend said an announcement about 200 new armoured vehicles to replace the Snatch Land Rovers was expected within weeks.