Category: armed forces

Did MoD owe marine duty of care? – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted August 4th, 2015 in armed forces, duty of care, news, personal injuries by sally

‘Spencer Vaughan was a Royal Marine taking part in an adventure training exercise in Gran Canaria. On the last day of the trip, his supervisor, Corporal Sanders told Spencer and his colleagues that they were free to do what they wanted until about 1.30pm. While visiting a tourist beach, Vaughan executed a shallow dive into the sea. At trial, he said that he had struck a sand bar. As a result he sustained a fracture of the cervical spine, which resulted in incomplete tetraplegia.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 3rd August 2015

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Billet v Ministry of Defence– Ogden Tables Revisited – Zenith PI Blog

Posted August 3rd, 2015 in appeals, armed forces, damages, disabled persons, employment, news, personal injuries by sally

‘In 2009, the Claimant had been in the army and his role was as a HGV driver. He had been taking part in a field exercise in freezing weather and snow for six days having been provided with unsatisfactory footwear. The Claimant suffered a non-freezing cold injury to his feet. Despite treatment he still suffered symptoms in cold weather but was assessed as fit for service. The Claimant obtained an early termination of military service in 2011 because of family commitments. Due to the ongoing symptoms in his feet he issued a claim for damages against the MOD. Liability was agreed at 75% but the parties could not agree quantum.’

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Zenith PI Blog, 31st July 2015

Source: www.zenithpi.wordpress.com

British forces illegally detained Afghan suspect, court of appeal rules – The Guardian

Posted July 31st, 2015 in Afghanistan, appeals, armed forces, damages, detention, government departments, human rights, international law, news, torture by sally

‘An Afghan suspect was detained illegally by British forces for almost four months and denied access to a lawyer, the court of appeal has ruled. Serdar Mohammed, who was captured by UK soldiers in April 2010, was not handed over to the Afghan security services until July that year, despite regulations requiring any transfer to take place within 96 hours. Mohammed, who was eventually released earlier this year to return to his home in Helmand province, claimed that the Afghan authorities tortured him.’

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The Guardian, 30th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

SAS selection deaths: Coroner delivers neglect conclusion – BBC News

Posted July 14th, 2015 in armed forces, inquests, negligence, news by tracey

‘Three reservists who died on an SAS selection march would have survived if the hike had been stopped when other soldiers fell ill, a coroner has said.’

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BBC News, 14th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Army head condemns ‘unacceptable’ sexual harassment – BBC News

Posted July 13th, 2015 in armed forces, complaints, harassment, news, sexual offences, statistics, women by tracey

‘Army chief General Sir Nick Carter says the level of sexual harassment being faced by female soldiers is “totally unacceptable”. In a survey commissioned by the Army, almost 40% of servicewomen said they had received unwanted comments of a sexual nature in the past year.’

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BBC News, 12th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Royal Household will fall in sights of £100m child sex abuse inquiry – Daily Telegraph

Posted July 10th, 2015 in armed forces, child abuse, Crown Prosecution Service, hospitals, inquiries, internet, local government, media, news, parliament, police, royal family, sexual offences, victims by tracey

‘The child sex abuse inquiry is set to last five years and cost up to £100 million, it has been confirmed, as it emerged the Royal Household will not be exempt from scrutiny over paedophile allegations.’

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Daily Telegraph, 9th July 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

UK court rejects Afghan interpreters’ discrimination claims – The Guardian

Posted July 9th, 2015 in appeals, armed forces, employment, interpreters, news, race discrimination by sally

‘Former local interpreters who risked their lives working for the British military in Afghanistan have lost their high court challenge to a government assistance scheme they say unlawfully discriminates against them.’

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The Guardian, 8th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Coroner in SAS inquest blocks release of witness statements – The Guardian

Posted June 22nd, 2015 in armed forces, coroners, criminal justice, disclosure, evidence, inquests, media, news, witnesses by tracey

‘A coroner hearing the inquest of three men who suffered fatal heat illness during an SAS training march in south Wales has refused to allow the release of witness statements, concluding that their publication could threaten any future criminal prosecutions. The Guardian and other media organisations argued that in the interest of open justice, statements taken by detectives investigating the tragedy on the Brecon Beacons and provided to the inquest should be released to allow the proceedings to be reported fully.’

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The Guardian, 19th June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Chagos islanders go to supreme court in battle to be allowed home – The Guardian

Posted June 22nd, 2015 in appeals, armed forces, Chagos Islands, disclosure, documents, news, royal prerogative, Supreme Court by tracey

‘Former residents of the Chagos Islands who were forcibly removed from their homeland more than 40 years ago will take their long legal battle to the UK’s highest court on Monday.’

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The Guardian, 22nd June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

SAS deaths: criminal charges may follow inquest – The Guardian

Posted June 18th, 2015 in armed forces, crime, health & safety, inquests, news, police, prosecutions, witnesses by sally

‘Police and health and safety lawyers argue against media attempt to see witness statements in case they prejudice future prosecutions.’

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The Guardian, 17th June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MoD secretary Yasmin Disney jailed for £100k fraud – The Independent

Posted June 10th, 2015 in armed forces, expenses, fraud, news, sentencing by sally

‘A former MoD secretary who submitted £100,000 in false expenses to buy a sports car and luxury holidays has been jailed for her “spree of dishonesty”.’

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The Independent, 10th June 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

SAS training deaths inquest: Bureaucracy blamed for failure to cancel march in scorching heat that led to the deaths of three reservists – The Independent

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in armed forces, inquests, negligence, news by sally

‘Bureaucracy was blamed for a failure to postpone an SAS training march in scorching heat which resulted in the deaths of several army reservists, a coroner heard yesterday. The admission was made by a senior officer, according to the relatives of one of those who died, 24-year-old Lance Corporal Craig Roberts.’
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The Independent, 1st June 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Eight years for teenager in UK terror grooming case – The Guardian

Posted June 1st, 2015 in armed forces, autism, news, sentencing, terrorism, young offenders by michael

‘A teenage terrorist has been sentenced to eight years for grooming a young man with learning difficulties to carry out a Lee Rigby copycat killing.‘

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The Guardian, 30th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Human Rights on the Battlefield – BBC Unreliable Evidence

Posted May 27th, 2015 in armed forces, government departments, human rights, judiciary, negligence, news, parliament by sally

‘Clive Anderson and guests discuss the controversial suggestion that the UK should withdraw from human rights legislation and re-instate ‘combat immunity’ to protect the British Army from legal action.’

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BBC Unreliable Evidence, 20th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

London taxi driver jailed for minimum 38 years for killing US soldier in Iraq roadside bombing – The Independent

Posted May 27th, 2015 in armed forces, conspiracy, explosives, Iraq, murder, news, sentencing, terrorism by sally

‘A London taxi driver convicted of killing a US soldier in an Iraqi roadside bombing has been sentenced to life with a minimum 38 years in prison.’

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The Independent, 22nd May 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Human Rights Act: What has it done for us? – The Independent

Posted May 18th, 2015 in armed forces, death in custody, families, forced labour, human rights, inquiries, news, police, political parties, rape, torture, trafficking in human beings by sally

‘The Conservatives want to replace it. Here are five things it has implemented for good.’

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The Independent, 15th May 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bassingbourn Libyan soldiers jailed for Cambridge man’s rape – BBC News

Posted May 18th, 2015 in armed forces, Libya, news, rape, sentencing, sexual offences by sally

‘Two Libyan cadets have been jailed for 12 years each for raping a man in Cambridge.’

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BBC News, 15th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Paralysed marine sues MoD for £8m over beach dive accident – BBC News

Posted May 13th, 2015 in accidents, armed forces, news, personal injuries by tracey

‘A marine left paralysed after diving into shallow waters in the Canary Islands is suing the military for £8m. Spencer Vaughan, 27, from Cwmbran in south Wales, broke his neck in the Gran Canaria incident while on an adventure training exercise in July 2009.’

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BBC News, 12th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Army recruitment sergeant guilty of sex attacks on young female recruits – The Guardian

Posted May 6th, 2015 in armed forces, bullying, news, rape, sexual grooming, sexual offences, women, young persons by sally

‘An army recruitment sergeant has been found guilty of sex attacks on young female recruits.’

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The Guardian, 5th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Buckingham Palace guard who attacked passers-by in ‘most most violent piece of CCTV footage’ police officer had seen walks free – The Independent

Posted April 27th, 2015 in armed forces, assault, news, sentencing by sally

‘Two soldiers, including one who is now a guard at Buckingham Palace, have been spared jail after they brutally assaulted two men in an unprovoked attack after a night out in Darlington, County Durham.’

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The Independent, 24th April 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk