Express & Star

Young soldier found hanged

A promising young soldier from Stourport started acting "out of character" shortly before he was found hanged in his barracks in Germany, an inquest heard.A promising young soldier from Stourport started acting "out of character" shortly before he was found hanged in his barracks in Germany, an inquest heard. Lance Corporal Michael Chapman, aged 23, from Bewdley Road, smashed a right hand knuckle with a hammer and broke two of his own bedroom windows in the weeks before he died. But his behaviour failed to alert his army bosses to his mental state and he was not refered for counselling, the inquest heard. Read the full story in the Express & Star

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Lance Corporal Michael Chapman, aged 23, from Bewdley Road, smashed a right hand knuckle with a hammer and broke two of his own bedroom windows in the weeks before he died.

But his behaviour failed to alert his army bosses to his mental state and he was not refered for counselling, the inquest heard.

Stourport Coroner's Court heard yesterday how L/Cpl Chapman was found dead at 3am in the drying room of his accommodation in Athlone Barracks, Sennelager near Paderborn.

The court was told his self-harming failed to alert the Army to his mental state. Squadron sergeant major Euan Johnston made a statement that he did not refer L/Cpl Chapman for counselling.

Leading psychologist Dr Peter Higson studied the Army's Board of Inquiry into his death. Dr Higson, of the University of Wales, Bangor, said: "Something was not right. At the very least there should have been a risk assessment.

"But there was no specific Army policy regarding self-harm at the time. These incidents alone should have been enough to alert the authorities to his mental state."

The court heard L/Cpl Chapman joined the Queen's Royal Hussars and was sent to Germany in 2000.

But in November 2002 he applied to leave and try for a career in the police service and marry his fiance.

The court heard hours before he was found dead, L/Cpl Chapman phoned his brother Scott at home around 3am on February 28.

He explained how he had been in a fight and was going to be "busted." He told his brother he loved him before saying 'goodbye' which was the last he heard from him.

A post mortem was carried out by Home Office pathologist Peter Vanezis who concluded lance corporal Chapman died from hanging. The inquest continues.

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