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Mother in Snatch vehicle victory Mother in Snatch vehicle victory
(10 minutes later)
The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq has won the right for a judicial review of the government's refusal to hold a public inquiry into Snatch Land Rovers. The mother of a soldier killed in Iraq has won the right to a judicial review of the government's refusal to hold a public inquiry into Snatch Land Rovers.
Susan Smith, from Tamworth, Staffordshire, is entitled to a High Court judicial review of their use. Susan Smith, of Tamworth, Staffordshire, whose son Phillip, 21, died in 2005, is challenging the use of the vehicles in Afghanistan and Iraq.
But Mr Justice Mitting said the review would not cover the present and future use of Snatch Land Rovers. But Mr Justice Mitting said the review would not cover the present and future use of the lightly armoured vehicles.
The lightly armoured vehicles have been criticised for offering insufficient protection to troops from bomb blasts. They have been criticised for offering poor protection from bomb blasts.
The High Court heard that 37 soldiers had died in Iraq and Afghanistan while using the vehicles since 2005.The High Court heard that 37 soldiers had died in Iraq and Afghanistan while using the vehicles since 2005.
The judge said the vehicles' present and future deployment was "unimpeachable" in the courts. However, the judge said the vehicles' present and future deployment was "unimpeachable" in the courts.
Ms Smith's son, a private in the 1st Battalion Staffordshire Regiment, and two other soldiers were killed in the Al Amarah region of Iraq on 16 July 2005.
Pte Hewett was driving a Snatch Land Rover when it was hit by a roadside bomb attack on three of the vehicles on patrol.
Mr Justice Mitting said three issues could be investigated if a full inquiry was held.
These were:
  • Should different equipment, such as the more heavily armoured Cougar Mastiff, have been procured and deployed in 2005 and 2006
  • If so, could the deaths of some or all of the soldiers have been avoided
  • And if so, why was that equipment not procured and deployed
The Snatch was originally designed for use in Northern Ireland as a cheap and quick way of moving troops about.