Inquest into the death of Lance Corporal Michael Pritchard – who knew where Michael was stationed?
May 17, 2012
In preparing for the Inquest into Michael’s death, on behalf of his mother Helen, one of the key questions was whether the Sniper and his colleagues in a Remote Sangar knew of the location of Michael and his colleagues, and if not why not? Evidence on this has started to emerge at the Inquest and is likely to continue today.
Michael was not operating on his own. He was with numerous colleagues…
Inquest into the Death of Lance Corporal Michael Pritchard
May 16, 2012
We represent Michael’s mother, Helen Perry, and have prepared for the Inquest which is currently before the Coroner in Eastbourne. Paul Kilcoyne of Temple Gardens is attending. We have had disclosure from the MOD including maps showing the Restricted Firing Line. We hope to support Helen through this difficult time. So far wide coverage in the press has reported that permission to fire the fatal…
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin has announced that he has been suffering with tinnitus for about 10 years.
May 8, 2012
Tinnitus is the perception of sound within the ear in the absence of corresponding external sound. It is often described as a ringing noise, high pitched whinging, hissing or a whistling sound. Most people with tinnitus have some degree of hearing loss.
Tinnitus is a condition that can result from a range of underlying causes: neurological damage, abnormal sounds in the ear canal, ear infections,…
Trial by TV
April 19, 2012
The court room has long been a backdrop for drama, especially when a crime has taken place.
We can look to Portia’s performance in A Merchant of Venice, Perry Mason, Judge John Deed and, of course, Rumpole of the Bailey to see the attraction that the court has to an audience.
This allure could of course be due to the fact that the ordinary person on the street has no reason to know…
3-215 Brigade of the Afghan Army make the News twice in one day – for very different reasons
March 27, 2012
On 26th March The Times featured a double page spread about the Bomb Disposal Teams from 3-215 Brigade who have dealt with blowing up scores of IEDs since October. It featured Sgt Noor Mohamed, aged 23, who was the first Soldier in Afghanistan to qualify as an Explosive Ordinance Disposal neutraliser. This is meant that British EOD…
Six British Soldiers Killed by Taliban Bomb
March 8, 2012
We acted for the first Soldier to lose his life in Iraq and early casualties in Afghanistan. As news of further significant loss of life of Service Personnel in Afghanistan hits the headlines we are reminded once again of the danger of IEDs. We have acted for members of 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD) and for members of the Royal Logistics Corps who deal with the daily threat of IEDs. We have carried out…
Dead Soldier’s Pay Docked
October 31, 2011
Last week brought the shocking news that the family of deceased soldier, Lieutenant Corporal Jordan Bancroft, had been asked to repay the sum of £433 which had been overpaid.
L/Cprl Bancroft died in Afghanistan after being shot on 21 August 2010.
The administrative error has brought obvious upset to his family, not only because of the insensitivity of the written request but also because the…
Families to face ‘vetting’ to attend Secret Inquests
October 20, 2011
The government is proposing that the grieving families of security service personnel could be 'vetted' before being granted access to the Inquest into their loved one's death. The Inquests themselves will be behind closed doors.
Defence Budget Cuts Hitting Home…and Away
September 28, 2011
Yesterday brought the unfortunate announcement from BAE that 3,000 jobs would be cut across sites in Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Politicians from both the Labour and Conservative parties condemned the decision and branded it a ‘disgrace’.
However, Ian King (Chief Executive of BAE) said, ‘Our customers are facing huge pressures on their defence budgets and affordability had become an increasing…
Bomb Hunters Bravery Recognised
September 14, 2011
The news that Service Personnel who hunt out the IEDs in Afghanistan are to be given a new search badge is welcome. The demands of the job, the real and present danger, the conditions and terrain are difficult to imagine. “Bomb Hunters” by Sean Rayment describing the work of these soldiers is an absorbing and unsettling read. We have clients who…
