Soldier who took his own life had not been bullied, says coroner

A SOLDIER hanged himself in his barracks because he was facing a criminal investigation, a coroner said yesterday, rejecting allegations he had been a victim of army bullying.

Scots-born Lance-Corporal Derek McGregor had tried to persuade psychiatrists that he was insane, describing his nightmares of dead children that he had killed.

However, an inquest into his death was told that one medic had described the 21-year-old as a "professional liar" and he was returned to his unit.

The four-day hearing at Harrogate Magistrates' Court also heard that L/Cpl McGregor was facing investigation over a number of incidents while stationed in Northern Ireland, including going absent without leave, the theft of tablets and the discovery of "inappropriate" material on his computer.

The soldier was found hanged in Gaza Barracks, Catterick, North Yorkshire, in July 2003, days after he was seen wandering round looking for somewhere to hang himself.

Following his death his family claimed he had been bullied. However, coroner Geoff Fell yesterday told the inquest in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, there was nothing to substantiate these claims.

Mr Fell said: "It is quite clear by the note left by Derek what his intentions were. I'm quite sure his actions were motivated by the allegations.

"Derek had a number of stresses in his life unrelated to his occupation as a combat medical technician."

The hearing was told that L-Cpl McGregor had spent three weeks in an army psychiatric hospital before his death. Psychiatrists who assessed him decided he was not mentally ill but admitted he was at risk of harming himself. The young NCO complained he had been bullied in Northern Ireland, but a senior army medical officer told the hearing he was more likely to have suffered "emotional bullying" rather than anything physical.

But the soldier's father, Joseph, who did not attend the inquest, has claimed his son had been badly beaten before he took his own life. He also said he had facial injuries.

The inquest heard the soldier had drunk alcohol equivalent to two and a half times the legal driving limit before his death.

In the note, which was read to the hearing, he wrote: "I am tired of living as I can never seem to do anything right in my life and my family could never be truly happy.

"I don't have any friends and people laugh at me."

The coroner said there was no evidence that the soldier had any form of psychiatric illness or was being bullied.

He added: "It is not only people with psychotic illnesses who commit suicide."

IN QUOTES

"It is not only people with psychotic illnesses who commit suicide."

– the coroner's verdict on the soldier's death.

"He set himself standards a little too high, and I expect took ribald commentary maybe a little too personally."

– Lieutenant-Colonel Simon Bloodworth's assessment of McGregor.

"I am tired of living as I can never seem to do anything right in my life and my family could never be truly happy. I don't have any friends."

– L-Cpl McGregor's suicide note.