Soldier took own life after fight over promotion fears, coroner rules
Nadine Askew from Sunderland died at Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire in July 2021
A soldier took her own life hours after getting into a fight with a junior colleague because she feared it would cost her a promotion, a coroner has ruled.
Royal Artillery Bombardier Nadine Askew, 31, from Sunderland was found dead in her room at Larkhill Garrison in Wiltshire on July 22, 2021.
Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner’s Court heard Bmdr Askew had got into a dispute with a fellow soldier, a gunner, during a party at an accommodation block the evening before.
After punches were thrown, another soldier grabbed Bmdr Askew and restrained her – pulling her away from the confrontation.
Lucy Clark, a fellow bombardier, agreed her friend had seen “red” and was worried the fight would cost her a forthcoming promotion to sergeant.
She told the inquest: “I know it was discussed in front of her and I can’t recall if she actually spoke on it. I know she was fully aware of the repercussions.
“She knew that getting into a fight and essentially hitting a gunner was going to have repercussions on her career.
“A lot of the time the repercussion for fighting is a demotion and she wasn’t wearing sergeant yet so the fear was a demotion in general, but she would have potentially been busted back down to lance bombardier.”
The inquest heard several soldiers, including Bmdr Askew, had been out socialising at a nearby pub and had returned to the garrison where a party took place.
The fight had broken out after the gunner approached Bmdr Askew to apologise for something he had done earlier in the day.
Witnesses told Wiltshire and Swindon Coroner’s Court in Salisbury that Bmdr Askew had punched the soldier and also headbutted him before being restrained.
There had been previous incidents of self-harm for which she had been placed on the vulnerability risk management (VRM) register and received mental health support.
Just 10 days before she died, senior officers had agreed to remove Bmdr Askew from the VRM and approve her for deployment.
Her parents told the inquest they had no knowledge of her previous self-harm attempts or struggles with mental health.
Bmdr Askew, from Sunderland, had served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan with the Royal Artillery.
Her cause of death was given as hanging and Assistant Coroner Ian Singleton recorded a conclusion of suicide.
In his findings, the coroner said it “would not be safe to conclude” that Bmdr Askew should have been placed on the VRM following the altercation.
“It would be speculation to say what difference it would have made if Nadine had been on the VRM or if measures had been put in place,” the coroner said.
“No-one had concerns how Nadine presented after the incident on the evening of 21st to 22nd July 2021.
“I am satisfied that more likely than not she intended to take her own life.
“I find this was against the background of being involved in an altercation earlier that evening that Nadine would have known would in all probability have an adverse effect on the promotion that she was so keen to achieve.
“I find that her actions were a response to the realisation of that fact.
“I do not find that the earlier mental health issues she had were a factor giving the evidence from a psychiatrist about the improvements she had made and there was nothing in how she presented over the past few months that raised a concern.”
The coroner said there was no evidence heard during the inquest which contradicted the evidence of medical experts who described the mental health care she received as of a “good standard”.
He added: “The fact that Nadine took her own life following the altercation does not mean it was a failure in the care previous provided.”
Speaking after the inquest, Bmdr Askew’s mother Amanda said: “It’s impossible to put into words how devastating it is to hear from multiple second-hand sources that your child was battling mental health struggles that you were unaware of.
“It’s been devastating to sit through all that evidence and be confronted with that fact.
“We endured this process as we hoped that by shining a light on the circumstances leading up to her death, we might spare other Army families from enduring the same irreparable pain.
“Nadine was a kind, caring woman with an infectious smile.
“After she died, we received over 300 cards from people all over the world and 27 condolence bouquets.
“We also learnt that some of her friends have named their children after her.
“It is clear she touched so many people’s lives, which brings us some comfort.”
Charlotte Sykes, from Hodge Jones & Allen, which represented the family at the inquest, said: “This has been a harrowing process for the family, but they have faced the facts with dignity and grace.
“We will continue to support them as they take time to digest the coroner’s findings.”
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