A soldier was allegedly drunk on an army firing range in Northern Ireland when a member of his unit was shot dead, an inquest heard yesterday.
The sergeant, who cannot be identified, downed up to 10 bottles of beer and spirits hours before going on a live fire exercise near Newcastle, Co Down, Belfast Coroner's Court was told.
He took part in the training operation that ended in tragedy when warrant officer Michael White (42) was killed.
Mr White, who was known as Harry and from West Park, Lisburn, Co Antrim, was to have been rescued from a mock ambush by four colleagues operating in teams of two. But he was hit by a bullet fired during the operation at Ballykinlar base in December 2001. Forensic experts could not be absolutely certain which weapon fired the fatal shot. But the court heard it probably came from the pair including Soldier W. He had been up drinking until nearly 3am after arranging a social event for the night before the training.
Soldier W and colleagues appeared in the witness box behind screens after a public interest immunity certificate request by defence secretary John Reid was granted.
Details of their regiment were also not disclosed during the hearing, which is due to last for three days. Coroner David Hunter asked him: "It's been alleged by other soldiers that you were on the range taking part in this exercise when you were drunk." The soldier denied being under the influence, but Mr Hunter told him he confirmed during police interviews that he had drank 10 bottles of Miller and some spirits on the night before.
Although he believed this was accurate, Soldier W insisted he could not be certain and declined to say anything more on how much drink was taken.
He also refused to give an opinion when Douglas Hogg QC, for Mr White's widow Debbie, pressed him: "Do you think it's sensible to go to bed at 3am and get up after four to five hours sleep when you're going on a live firing exercise?" But he told Ben Stephens QC, for the ministry of defence, that at no stage did anyone else on the operation suggest he was drunk. - (PA)