Officer denies remark made to dead soldier's mother

Nadine Askew, 31, who was found dead in her room at Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire

An Army officer has denied apologising about the performance of the military to the mother of a soldier who took her own life.

Royal Artillery Bombardier Nadine Askew, from Sunderland, was found dead in her room at Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire on 22 July, 2021.

Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner's Court heard the 31-year-old killed herself hours after getting into a fight with a junior colleague at a party, because she feared it would cost her a promotion to sergeant.

Maj Claire Blakiston, who was Bombardier Askew's battery commander, told the court she could "not recall" making a specific apology about how the military had handled the case.

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Bombardier Askew had received mental health support at Larkhill Garrison

Maj Blakiston added she would meet the soldier regularly, adding: "I never thought she was holding things back. I thought she could talk to me."

The inquest was told previous self-harming incidents had led to Bombardier Askew being placed on the vulnerability risk management register and being given mental health support.

But Maj Blakiston said she had no concerns about the soldier wanting to take her own life or indicating any issues with self-harm in the year before her death.

Ten days before she died, senior officers had agreed to remove her from the vulnerability risk management register and approve her for deployment.

"I think she was ready to be fully deployable and move on," Maj Blakiston said.

"There was never any indication that she was drinking, was violent and none of this history was playing into our day-to-day management of her."

The court heard that following Bombardier Askew's death, Maj Blakiston spoke to her mother Amanda Askew.

Bombardier Askew, from Sunderland, had served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan

Area coroner Ian Singleton asked the officer if she could recall a comment, made during that conversation, about the military making mistakes over her daughter's case.

Maj Blakiston replied: "No I don't recall that. Nor do I think I would use that language with a soldier or a family member.

"I definitely would not have said it in the context of saying to a family member after the loss of a child, or Bombardier Askew, the child of Amanda.

"I also fundamentally don't believe in that statement which makes me think that I wouldn't have said it at the time and still don't believe in it now."

Bombardier Askew, from Sunderland, had served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Royal Artillery.

The inquest continues.