Ashley Clarkson inquest: Death was 'tragedy'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-23087084

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The mother of a Nottinghamshire soldier who took his own life after serving in Iraq has said she will keep campaigning for help for veterans.

Speaking after the inquest into her son's death, Mary Fells said her son Pte Ashley Clarkson had not received enough help from the army.

Pte Clarkson hanged himself at his family home in Mansfield in March 2012.

Recording a narrative verdict, Nottinghamshire Deputy Coroner Heidi Connor said his death was "a tragedy".

'Moderate suicide risk'

Ms Fells told the inquest her son had phoned her in tears from Iraq after he saw a young girl and baby die in an explosion.

She said that he could not cope after coming home and deliberately got arrested for drink driving to avoid being sent to Afghanistan.

The inquest also heard Pte Clarkson did not ask the army for help as he thought they would tell him to "man up".

A military nurse assessed him as a "moderate suicide risk" but did not find evidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Ms Connor said: "For a tragedy like this to be preventable, it has to be predictable. Ashley was not thought to suffer from a diagnosed mental illness at the time of leaving the army.

"He was very intoxicated [at the time of his death] and it is not clear from the evidence if he intended to end his life on that day."

She added that Ashley's family could not have done anything more for him.

But Ms Fells said: "I'm not going to accept what they've told me today and I will campaign until my last breath so veterans will get the help they rightfully deserve."