- Reaction score
- 2,588
- Points
- 1,260
London Evening Standard, 19 Jun 13Families of British soldiers killed in combat can sue the Government for breaching their human rights by providing faulty equipment, judges declared in a landmark ruling today.
It could open the floodgates to scores of claims over deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq and result in multi-million pound
compensation
bills for the Ministry of Defence.
A case was brought involving three men killed by roadside bombs while in lightly-armoured Snatch Land Rovers in Iraq despite years of criticism about their vulnerability of the vehicles.
Judges at the Supreme Court ruled that the MoD owes soldiers a duty of care under the law of negligence.
They backed a ruling by the Court of Appeal that the MoD could be liable if they “failed to provide sufficient protection while on active service”.
Private Phillip Hewett, 21, was killed in July 2005, Pte Lee Ellis, 23, died in February 2006 and Lance Corporal Kirk Redpath, 22, of Romford, was killed in August 2007. L/Cpl Redpath’s father Colin said: “My son was in the Army, he had a job to do. But all we’re saying is, ‘If you are going to send our men and women in the combat zone then you give them the best possible chances’.
“I think we’d been in Iraq for five years when my son died, and there were generals and MPs saying Snatch Land Rovers were not fit for purpose. Well surely that should have all been sorted out by then, after five years.”
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond immediately warned the ruling could hamper British military action ....
Summary of judgement for media attached - full judgement (72 pages) here.