Soldier’s widow tells inquest about his fears over insurgents

Wendy Rayner was giving evidence at the inquest into the death of Sgt Peter Rayner, of 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, killed during a routine patrol last October by an improvised explosive device (IED).

Mrs Rayner said her husband rang her four days before his death to say he and his men watched insurgents laying devices through night-vision goggles but were not allowed to fire on them.

She said Sgt Rayner seemed stressed and feared “one of them would be killed”.

Mrs Rayner said her husband - who was widely respected and had 17 years of experience in the Army - said he had told a captain about his concerns but “he was basically laughed off and told to do his job”.

Father-of-one Sgt Rayner, 34, died as he led his men on a routine patrol in the Nahr-e-Saraj district of Helmand, on October 8 last year.

Acting Bradford coroner Professor Paul Marks recorded a verdict that Sgt Rayner was unlawfully killed on active service in Afghanistan.

An MoD spokesman said: “Commanders in Afghanistan take the threat of IEDs very seriously. Since June 2010 this Government has spent £330 million on equipment to help them tackle the threat.

“However, troops in Afghanistan are required to exercise restraint when dealing with this threat as the use of deadly force is not always appropriate when there is a risk of collateral damage.

“The aim of this policy is to avoid innocent civilians who may be in the vicinity.”