Bernard Mongan: Soldier lay dead in barracks for three weeks as family left with 'so many questions'
The family of a British soldier found dead in his barracks bedroom three weeks after he was last seen have told an inquest they have been left with “so many questions” about his death.
Lance Corporal Bernard Francis Mongan, 33, was discovered on January 23, 2020, lying face down on his bed at Catterick Garrison.
The father-of-three had last been seen around December 27, 2019.
His mother Mary Mongan said: “His death has left us with so many questions, I still can’t understand it.
“Losing Bernard has been a traumatic experience and came as a shock to all of us.”
His wife Beth, with whom he shared three daughters, described him as a warm and generous person with a wicked sense of humour.
Though the couple had separated before his death, she said they remained close.
“Bernie was a sweetheart,” she said. “If he could help you, he would – he was a big softie.”
She added he had struggled with “acceptance” and had expressed fears about being bullied in the time before his death.
A paramedic who attended the scene said it was immediately clear he had been “dead for some time”.
His body was decomposed and no injuries were found, the court heard.
The inquest was also told that a post-mortem examination was unable to confirm the cause of death.
Home Office pathologist Dr Nigel Cooper said the most likely explanations were either sudden cardiac arrest caused by an undetectable heart abnormality, or poisoning due to drugs found in his system.
Toxicology results showed traces of amobarbital – a barbiturate no longer prescribed in the UK – and promethazine, both in concentrations consistent with therapeutic doses.
A forensic toxicologist said those levels were not high enough to suggest overdose and may not have contributed to his death.
An empty bottle of Jack Daniels was found in his room, but alcohol could not be tested due to decomposition, the inquest heard.
Dr Cooper said it was impossible to know whether alcohol had played a role or when it had been consumed.
“There’s nothing more frustrating than having no cause of death,” Dr Cooper told the inquest.
“But I really don’t think I have enough positive evidence to go in one direction or the other.”
The court heard there were no signs of self-harm or suicide at the scene and no drug packaging indicating an overdose.
Bernie, as he was known by his friends and family, had recently shown an interest in fitness, and bodybuilding supplements were found in the room, but their contribution to his death was described as “vanishingly rare”.
The inquest, which is set to last three weeks, continues.