Bernard Mongan's family say inquest 'enormous disappointment'

A coroner has said he was unable to determine whether a British soldier found dead after being missing for three weeks had intended to take his own life.L/Cpl Bernard Mongan was found in his barracks at Catterick Garrison on 23 January 2020 after making several complaints of bullying by his superior officers.The father-of-three's cause of death was "unascertained" after a post-mortem examination, which revealed he could have been dead for up to three weeks before he was found.Mr Mongan's wife said she believed he took his own life having been "badly let down by the Army" and the family described the verdict as "an enormous disappointment".
Recording an open conclusion, senior coroner for North Yorkshire Jon Heath said it was "regrettable" he was unable to "go further" than the post-mortem findings.He concluded that "on occasion Bernie was subject to treatment, and spoken to, by some of his chain of command in a manner that caused him distress".However, despite numerous previous suicide attempts, Mr Heath said there was "insufficient evidence for me to conclude it was likely [Mr Mongan] took the drugs he was known to have taken, and the level of alcohol, with the express intention of ending his own life".The Army said the delay in discovering Mr Mongan's body was "unacceptable and profoundly regrettable".The Royal Signals soldier, who had served in Iraq, had been spending his Christmas leave in his room at Catterick Barracks, but was due to start an attachment with the Army's 77 Brigade in Berkshire on 7 January 2020. However, neither camp noticed that he was missing.
Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

BBC News

15 minutes ago

• BBC News

Five more arrests made after fatal stabbing of Dale Martin

Police have made five more arrests in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 21-year-old man in Martin, known as DJ, was pronounced dead in hospital after being attacked in Stenson Road at about 23:45 BST on Sunday 15 Sunday, Derbyshire Police said a 24-year-old man and an 18-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of murder following Mr Martin's added a 25-year-old man and 17-year-old boy had also been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and another man, 28, arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of justice. All five remained in custody on Monday, police added. The latest arrests follow a number of others made during a police investigation into Mr Martin's 18-year-old men were arrested last week on suspicion of murder and an 18-year-old woman was arrested for assisting an other men, aged 24 and 18, were arrested on suspicion of affray in connection with the other men arrested earlier in the week on suspicion of murder remain in police custody.A woman and three men were also arrested on suspicion of affray and remain on bail, police added. Det Ch Insp Claudia Musson said: "We have made a significant number of arrests as our investigation has progressed."Our inquiries are still very much ongoing and we are still appealing for members of the public to contact us with any information relevant to our inquiries."She said she wanted to hear from anyone who may have seen a Renault Megane in the Stenson Road area at the time of the also said they would like to speak to anyone who saw e-bikes or mopeds being ridden in the Stenson Road and Sinfin area – particularly those with a rider and pillion passengers. Police said they were also investigating a linked incident outside The Oaklands pub in Oaklands Avenue, Littleover, at about 18:00 on Sunday 15 June when officers were called to reports of men carrying knives. No one was injured during that incident, police said.

The Sun

22 minutes ago

• The Sun

My innocent son, 16, was butchered in zombie knife attack over his pal's petty Snapchat feud… his final text haunts me

TEARS streaming down her face, heartbroken mum Fiona Namusoke stroked her teenage son's lifeless body as he lay in a hospital bed. It was still warm. Barely hours earlier Fiona, 42, had been on her way to pick him up in September 2023 when she received a devastating call telling her Ashraf Habimana had been stabbed. 9 9 9 Ash, from Luton, had been wrongly targeted by evil twin brothers Athif and Althaf Hussaindeen, then both 17, in a revenge attack over a petty Snapchat feud. The 16-year-old was stabbed multiple times by a large zombie knife which sliced through his body and punctured his lung. He was treated at the scene and rushed to hospital, but doctors couldn't save him. Now his devastated mum Fiona is sharing her heartbreaking story in a bid to raise awareness of knife crime in the UK and the growing threat it poses to our children. She says: 'I'd only taken my son to school that day. My son was a good boy, he was so pure.' Fiona, a single mum to two sons, tells how Ash was a hard-working student who was just two weeks into his A-Levels. He was also incredibly dedicated and caring towards his brother Raayan, 19, who was diagnosed with severe autism aged 10 in 2016 and became non-verbal. Fiona, a full-time carer for Raayan, says Ash naturally stepped into the role of big brother, despite being younger. She says: 'Ash was always like a young carer. He would feed Raayan, play with him and teach him how to count. It was beautiful. He loved his brother.' Ash filled his time with interesting hobbies, enjoying swimming, basketball, playing guitar and listening to R&B. In 2021, the family moved house from central Luton, where they'd lived for eight years, to a new home on the edge of Luton, near Dunstable. Tributes to boy, 15, stabbed to death with zombie knife & left dying on street as pals share agony Fiona says: 'As Ash got older, it was his dream to work in cybersecurity. "He wanted to help people from being scammed on the internet. 'I was so proud of him. Ash studied incredibly hard, and got great grades for his GCSEs.' Final text On the day of the attack, Fiona had dropped him off at school as normal. 'I said goodbye, and gave him £10 for some food or the bus," she recalls. 'That afternoon I was giving Raayan a bath when I rang Ash to ask when his last lesson was. 'He told me he was going to get his favourite wrap with his friends. He asked me to collect him from the wrap place. 'After our call he texted me, 'Are you going to pick me up now or later?' to which I replied, 'I'll pick you up in a few minutes.' 'Just minutes later, I had a call from an unknown number. A man's voice yelled that Ashraf had been stabbed. I realised it was my old neighbour. 'I didn't believe it. I thought it was a prank.' 9 9 'Please save my baby' Fiona got Raayan dressed, put him in the car and sped towards their old house in Luton. She pulled up to the road which was packed with frightened locals, ambulances and police. Fiona says: 'A lady I'd known for years rushed over, confirming it was Ash. She said he'd been stabbed by the wrap shop. Another boy too. 'I burst into tears, I couldn't believe it. He'd only just texted me. 'I realised Ash was inside the ambulance, bleeding out. It was locked. 'I was hysterical, screaming for God to save my son, to please save my baby. He couldn't die.' Ash was blue-lighted to the hospital. There, Fiona was taken into a private room. The family of the other boy who'd also been stabbed were there with her. But as a group of doctors entered, they asked to be alone with Fiona. Fiona says: 'They told me they'd done everything they could, but they couldn't save Ash. 'I didn't understand. I begged them desperately to keep trying. 'But they told me Ash was already dead. His lungs had been punctured. 'I collapsed to the floor, and blacked out. 'When I came to, they let me see Ash. There was a pool of blood underneath his bed. 'I touched his feet, and they were still warm. I was crying, begging him to wake up, but he wouldn't. I'd never felt such pain before.' 'His feet were still warm' The following day police informed Fiona they'd arrested two young boys, who'd they'd tracked down through CCTV. Athif and Althaf Hussaindeen, now 18, were twin brothers. Over the coming months, Fiona slowly discovered what had happened. Petty Snapchat feud Fiona says: 'Earlier that day at school one of Ash's good friends had got into a fight. He'd fought with the boy, Athif. Ash wasn't there. 'Athif had been punched whilst being recorded on Snapchat. 'Humiliated, he went home, grabbed a large zombie knife he'd purchased online, and gathered his twin brother, Althaf. 'The teenage twin brothers, as well as other friends with knives, searched the area looking for Ash's friend. 'Sadly, as they found him Ash was there, eating his wrap, waiting for the lift from me. I touched his feet, and they were still warm. I was crying, begging him to wake up, but he wouldn't. I'd never felt such pain before Fiona Namusoke "He had no idea what was happening. Ash was chased by the brothers. 'Althaf held Ash as he tried to run, whilst the other brother Athif stabbed Ash with the zombie knife three times in the back. 'The first time it went through Ash's textbooks and calculator. But the other two times it sliced through his body, puncturing his vital organs including his lungs. 'Ash's friend, the one they'd searched for, had also been stabbed but he'd survived. 'My heart was shattered. My son had no affiliation with gangs. He was innocent, unarmed and trying to get away to safety. "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.' Smirking killers 9 9 9 In October 2024, Fiona faced the twisted brothers at Luton Crown Court. When the court was shown CCTV footage of Ash's murder, Fiona couldn't bear to watch. After a lengthy trial Athif Hussaindeen was sentenced to 24 years after being found guilty of murdering Ash. His brother Althaf Hussaindeen was given seven years after being found guilty of manslaughter. Fiona says: 'They laughed and smirked at me in tears. 'I'd only taken my son to school that day, I didn't understand how this could happen. 'I'd always been a protective, strict mum, dropping and picking him up from everywhere. 'No time would make up for my losing my son, and Raayan losing his brother.' 'Mothers must be vigilant' Now Fiona refuses to let her son's death be in vain and has started the Ashraf Habimana Foundation, dedicated to tackling knife crime and helping families affected. Fiona says: 'Our goal is to educate young children of how knives destroy lives, as well as encourage mothers to be more vigilant with their kids. 'Please check your children's bags and bedrooms weekly. Become a detective, and even monitor their computer and phone use. It could save lives. 'Raayan can't understand his brother is gone. Ash's smile was contagious and I want him to be remembered for the love he had for everyone.' Knife crime on the rise IN the last 10 years there has been a shocking 87 per cent increase in the number of police-recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument. In the 12 months to March 2024, 262 murders were committed involving a knife or sharp instrument. In the same period, 57 young people aged under 25 were murdered - 17 under the age of 16 - by a knife or sharp weapon. Over the past 10 years the number of teenagers killed with a knife or sharp object has increased by 240 per cent, from 22 to 53. In the year ending September 2024, there was a devastating total of 55,008 knife-enabled offences. Up to June of last year, the Met Police recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument in London generally had risen by 16 per cent over the past year. In January Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick told The Sun the UK currently has a knife crime epidemic which is "completely out of control" in London.

BBC News

25 minutes ago

• BBC News

Sunderland man charged with attempted murder after two stabbed

A man has been charged with attempted murder after two men were stabbed.A man in his 40s and another man in his 20s were found seriously injured on Roker Avenue, Sunderland just after 16:40 BST on Saturday, Northumbria Police were taken to hospital where they remain in a stable condition. Adam Ahmed, 29, of Roker Avenue, has been charged with two counts of attempted murder and threatening with a knife in a private place and will appear at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court later. Follow BBC Sunderland on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.