Joshua Hoole: MoD urged to take action after Army fitness test death

Cpl Joshua Hoole was described as "fit, capable and determined"

A coroner has urged the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to take action after the death of a soldier during an Army fitness test.

Louise Hunt has written to Defence Secretary Ben Wallace to say there are "serious concerns" that lessons have not been learned after previous deaths.

The inquest of Cpl Joshua Hoole, 26, from Dumfries and Galloway, heard he died in the Brecon Beacons in 2016.

The MoD said it would "carefully consider" the report's recommendations.

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Ms Hunt, senior coroner for Birmingham, said a similar prevention of future deaths report had been issued following the deaths of L/Cpl Edward Maher, 31, L/Cpl Craig Roberts, 24, and 31-year-old Cpl James Dunsby.

The three Army reservists died in the Brecon Beacons after carrying 27kg on their backs on one of the hottest days of 2013.

The report into Cpl Hoole's death contained 19 points which needed to be addressed, and questioned why procedures were not changed after the report into the 2013 deaths.

Cpl James Dunsby, L/Cpl Edward Maher and L/Cpl Craig Roberts died in July 2013

At the inquest into the death of Cpl Hoole in October, Ms Hunt said there had been "very serious" failings by the Army.

She concluded that although Cpl Hoole, from Ecclefechan, had an "unpredictable susceptibility to sudden cardiac death from previously unknown cardiac arrhythmia", he would "not have died when he did" had the fitness test been stopped earlier.

In the report to Mr Wallace, she said: "Despite a response confirming these issues would be rectified, this report to prevent future deaths raises concerns about the same and additional issues.

"There is a serious concern that lessons have not been learnt from past tragedies and there appears to be a failure to address serious safety concerns on the part of the MoD."

Ms Hunt added: "In my opinion, action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you have the power to take such action."

The MoD said: "The safety and wellbeing of our personnel remains our top priority and we thank the coroner for her report.

"We regularly review our policy on heat illness and will continue to carefully consider the recommendations from the recent inquest."