The bereaved family of a soldier who died during a training exercise have slammed the Ministery of Defence for "failing him and our family" after an inquest into his death concluded.
Family members of Staff Sergeant John McKelvie gathered at Thirsk Racecourse on Friday (June 21) to the conclusion of the five-day, jury-led inquest into their loved one's death.
Sgt McKelvie, 51, was at Gandale Camp in Catterick Garrison on January 29, 2019, when the open-top military vehicle he was driving, a Jackal, overturned on a site known as 'the land of nod' while he was attempting a steep incline dubbed 'the three sisters'.
At the time, Sgt McKelvie was undertaking an off-road training course on the vehicle, led by Sgt Craig Dunleavy, who was instructing a training course for only the second time.
Following the tragic incident, Sgt McKelvie was airlifted to James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough where he died on February 4, 2019, from complex brain injuries and severe injuries to his spine.
This week, an inquest into the 51-year-old's death held at Thirsk Racecourse has heard witnesses including military personnel, medical professionals, and engineers who created the Jackal vehicle give evidence.
Recording a narrative verdict at the end of the inquest, the jury cited lack of supervision, lack of chain of command, and a lack of understanding and enforcement as factors in Sgt McKelvie's death.
Throughout the inquest, there were "admitted failings" by the army when it came to training and safety procedures - which noted "systematic failure" within the army and lack of "reporting culture that could have stopped this incident".
Following the inquest, the family of Sgt McKelvie said they were "satisfied" that the "failings of the Ministry of Defence had been exposed".
But were left angered that the issues picked up in the inquest weren't acted upon previously; a decision that could have saved their loved one's life.
The family of Sgt McKelvie, who had undertaken a tour of Kuwait, Bosnia and Kosovo, and one of Iraq, were also saddened that, after doing tours of countries abroad "he came to his end at home - where he should have been safe".
His sister Jackie said: "We've waited for this for far too long.
"The Ministry of Defence failed him and failed our family. It could have been avoided."
Describing their loved one as having "the biggest smile" - Sgt McKelvie, who was referred to as 'Big Jock', given his six feet four inches frame, was, above all, a military man - with his family saying "if you cut him open - he'd be camouflaged colour".
Jackie added: "He was a happy-go-lucky guy - always had time for people. You wouldn't have stood on his toes - but he was a big character."
Following the narrative decision of the inquest, his family says they are going to "regroup and process" before deciding their next options, which could include legal routes; highlighting that they want "justice for John".
The shortcomings of the Ministry of Defence were laid bare during the inquest, including from Wing Commander Paul Summers, who was on the enquiry panel investigating Sgt McKelvie's death, who said "at the time, the army wasn't a safe organisation" and there was a "systematic failure" within the army.
This was backed up by the witness account of Sgt Craig Dunleavy, who was a driving maintenance instructor - and was in the car with Sgt McKelvie when he was killed.
The hearing was told this was only the second time Sgt Dunleavy had led a training course on the Jackal vehicle when the incident happened - which saw him not receive correct training in booking systems, risk assessments, or proper procedure when conducting training.
The vehicle used during the fatal incident, the Jackal, has been involved in 40 other rollover incidents since 2009 - with three involving multiple rolls, like the one that took Sgt McKelvie's life.
Elsewhere in the inquest, it was heard that Sgt McKelvie's life 'could have been saved' if a piece of safety equipment was included.
Pathologist Dr Jan Lowe, who performed an autopsy at James Cook Hospital mortuary, told the inquest that Sgt McKelvie's life could have been saved if a head and neck support device (HANS) had been worn when the incident happened.
It was also noted in the inquest from Martin Robson, the training safety marshal at Catterick Garrison, that this fatality was "an accident waiting to happen" after safety checks weren't carried out just before the incident - which would normally include a recce of the site by instructors.
Most read:
- Life of soldier killed in vehicle roll 'could have been saved' with safety device
- Death of Sergeant John McKelvie 'accident waiting to happen'
- Safety and training questions raised at Sergeant's inquest
Got more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. Get access for 4 months for just £4, or get 40% off an annual subscription with our latest offer. Click here.
Despite the witness testimonies at the inquest - the Ministry of Defence have said that "lessons have been learnt".
Colonel Graham Shannon, risk adviser to the Commander of the Field Army, told the hearing that alterations had been made in the aftermath of the fatal incident.
However, he was forced to admit he could find "no evidence" that the recommendation made after a Jackal rollover incident at Catterick in 2016 had been acted upon.
Colonel Shannon told the inquest the McKelvie family could be "absolutely confident" there would be no further missed learning opportunities.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here