BBC News | WALES | Soldier's family plan legal action

The family of a young soldier killed at a Welsh training centre are to sue the Ministry of Defence in a final attempt to find out why their son died.

Richard King's relatives believe crucial evidence has been withheld by the MoD, and after the failure of any criminal prosecution to get off the ground, will launch their own civil action next week.

The Grenadier Guardsman, who was 22 and from Sheerness in Kent, died after live bullets were accidentally fired instead of blanks during a training exercise at Sennybridge in Powys.

The Crown Prosecution Service decided not to prosecute anyone over the death following a major investigation by Dyfed Powys police.

Sennybridge ranges in Powys
Live bullets were accidentally fired during a mock battle

Later an inquest failed to establish why army procedures had failed and the Health and Safety Executive demanded improvements.

In July 1999 the CPS re-examined the case following an army investigation, but it concluded there was still no evidence to support any prosecution.

The Military Police's Special Investigations Branch are carrying out their own enquiries.

Richard King's family hope their legal action will gain them access to these files.

His family , who also live in Kent, want to find out why Richard died, but they also hope their action will help improve safety on Army training ranges across the UK.


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