British soldier killed in Iraq this month was ‘negligently’ shot by comrade, coroner’s court hears
22-year-old Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington, who has recently become a dad, was the first squaddie to die in the country since 2009
A SQUADDIE killed in Iraq was “negligently” shot by a comrade, a coroner heard.
The tragedy emerged after Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington, 22, this month became the first Brit soldier to die there since 2009.
The shot to his abdomen was a result of “negligent discharge of a weapon by another soldier”, Oxfordshire coroner Darren Salter heard.
Scott, who had just become a dad, was buried with full military honours on Thursday in Middleton, Gtr Manchester, where he was from.
related stories
Girlfriend Savannah Brown, who gave birth to their daughter Safaya-Rose in October, was among the hundreds of mourners.
The MoD confirmed after his death at Camp Taji on January 2 that it was a “tragic accident”.
L/Cpl Hetherington, who also served in the Falklands and Kenya, was a “superb soldier” and “first class leader” his commanding officers said after his death – and during the funeral service he was described in more personal terms as a fun-loving and friendly young man.
He had been of 150 soldiers from his battalion deployed to Iraq for six months late last year to form part of the 500-strong British Army force, which was being sent to the country to train Iraqi and Kurdish security forces.
His battalion was providing protection to other British troops training the local security forces in infantry skills, weapons maintenance, medical, engineering and counter IED measures.
The inquest was adjourned for further investigation.