Cpl Alexander Tostevin felt like 'dead man walking', inquest told

Cpl Alexander Tostevin served with the Poole-based Special Boat Service (SBS)

A special forces soldier felt he was a "dead man walking" after he survived being shot in the head fighting in Afghanistan, an inquest heard.

Cpl Alexander Tostevin, 28, who served with the Poole-based Special Boat Service (SBS), was found dead at his home in March 2018.

He had escaped serious injury after a bullet skirted the inside of his helmet as he fought the Taliban in 2010.

A Royal Navy welfare officer said afterwards his "whole outlook" changed.

He had fallen to the floor, got up and returned fire, allowing two of his comrades to get to safety as they fought in Sangin.

The inquest in Bournemouth heard that he was mentioned in dispatches for his bravery.

He later joined the Special Boat Service (SBS) and he was serving with the Poole-based unit when he died.

The inquest previously heard how Cpl Tostevin, from Guernsey, was left alone on the weekend he died with just a list of phone numbers for support.

He was facing a disciplinary hearing for buying cocaine and hiring a prostitute on a military credit card and was receiving support from the welfare officer.

"He mentioned that his whole outlook on life changed post-2010. He mentioned he felt like he was a dead man walking," she said.

"He mentioned he had never smoked beforehand and he had started smoking as a stress-release post those events."

The welfare officer said Cpl Tostevin would say he had "survivor's guilt" because others were in a worse position than himself after fighting the Taliban.

The inquest heard earlier that a threat he made to take his own life was not passed down his chain of command.

The inquest continues.