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| Blast soldier unlawfully killed | Blast soldier unlawfully killed |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A Devon Territorial Army soldier who died when his vehicle hit a landmine in Afghanistan was unlawfully killed, an inquest has ruled. | A Devon Territorial Army soldier who died when his vehicle hit a landmine in Afghanistan was unlawfully killed, an inquest has ruled. |
| Jack Sadler, 21, of Exmouth, was a sentry on a reconnaissance patrol when the vehicle hit the mine in 2007. | Jack Sadler, 21, of Exmouth, was a sentry on a reconnaissance patrol when the vehicle hit the mine in 2007. |
| The inquest heard that the WMIK type Land Rover had not been tested for protection against landmines. | |
| The coroner said he would be asking the Ministry of Defence why such a light vehicle had been used in the patrol. | |
| Darren Salter, deputy coroner for Exeter and greater Devon, said he would write to the Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth about the issue. | |
| The MoD said later types of Land Rovers used in Afghanistan offered better protection. | |
| The urgent operational requirement is a purpose-built, mine protected patrol vehicle Ian Sadler | |
| Mr Salter said that it was not clear if there would have been a different outcome if Trooper Sadler had been in an updated vehicle. | |
| He said he also got the impression there were insufficient numbers of helicopters to allow equipment to be moved around. | |
| Using them to move men and equipment around would allow convoys to be smaller, faster and less vulnerable, he added. | |
| After the inquest, Trooper Sadler's father Ian also questioned why the Land Rover had been used. | |
| He said: "There is no place in a mined environment for vehicles without the mine-resistant V-shaped hulls. | |
| "The urgent operational requirement is a purpose-built, mine protected patrol vehicle." | |
| Motorcycles | Motorcycles |
| Trooper Sadler, who had studied for a degree in war studies at King's College in London, was a reservist with London's Honourable Artillery Company. | Trooper Sadler, who had studied for a degree in war studies at King's College in London, was a reservist with London's Honourable Artillery Company. |
| He was providing machine gun cover on the Land Rover, during a reconnaissance patrol checking routes for an impending operation in Helmand Province on 4 December 2007. | He was providing machine gun cover on the Land Rover, during a reconnaissance patrol checking routes for an impending operation in Helmand Province on 4 December 2007. |
| The convoy encountered a suspected group of Taliban militants on motorcycles and changed its direction to prevent an attack. | The convoy encountered a suspected group of Taliban militants on motorcycles and changed its direction to prevent an attack. |
| The vehicle was crossing a dried river bed, known as a wadi, when it hit the mine, the inquest at County Hall in Exeter heard. | The vehicle was crossing a dried river bed, known as a wadi, when it hit the mine, the inquest at County Hall in Exeter heard. |
| Trooper Sadler died from multiple injuries, including to his head, neck and lower limbs. | Trooper Sadler died from multiple injuries, including to his head, neck and lower limbs. |