A HEAT illness expert has told an inquest into the death of Tidworth soldier Gavin Williams that there was "no clear assessment" of the risk hot weather would have on the young private as he underwent a 'beasting'.

Appearing at Salisbury Coroner's Court today (Monday), Dr Daniel Roiz De Sa said there had also been a failure by those in charge of the 22-year-old to appreciate that "both his behaviour and unwillingness to continue exercising was because he was someone under significant physiological distress".

Pte Williams, of 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh, was subjected to a 'beasting' punishment on July 3, 2006. He underwent the session of intense physical exercise on one of the hottest days of the year.

Dr Roiz De Sa told the inquest it was his understanding that all those in a position of responsibility for an activity should conduct a risk assessment on how the environment would affect the exercising of the individual, and that those in charge should have been alert for heat injuries.

But he said there had been "no recognition" that Pte Williams' behaviour and physical state could have been related to exertional heat illness.

The inquest heard that on the same morning Pte Williams had been brought to the army medical centre, another soldier was successfully diagnosed with heat illness by the same doctor who saw Pte Williams.

Previously, the inquest has heard that there was a "poor passage of information" to doctors about the private and led to him initially being treated for a psychiatric episode rather than heatstroke.

Pte Williams, from Caerphilly, died at Salisbury District Hospital on July 3, 2006. Tests showed his body temperature was 41.7C, above the norm of 37C.

The inquest has previously heard that the soldier was admitted to the A&E department without any medical notes and doctors were not told he had been subjected to heavy exercise that day.

Based at Lucknow Barracks, Pte Williams had been marched at high speed and then sent for a gym session with a physical training instructor.

He had undergone the punishment for disobedience and a series of drunken incidents.

Tests later showed he had ecstasy in his body when he died.

The inquest continues.