'Beasting' soldiers cleared of manslaughter (From Salisbury Journal)

'Beasting' soldiers cleared of manslaughter

5:06pm Thursday 31st July 2008

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THREE soldiers have been cleared of the manslaughter of a fellow soldier at a Tidworth barracks.

Sgt Russell Price, 46, Sgt Paul Blake, 37, and Cpl John Edwards, 42, were found not guilty by a jury at Winchester Crown Court.

Pte Gavin Williams, 22, collapsed and died at Lucknow Barracks after an intense training session on one of the hottest days of the year on July 3 2006.

Pte Williams was being made to carry out an informal punishment known as beasting for his bad behaviour but he overheated and died.

After the acquittal, trial judge Mr Justice Royce attacked the Army for allowing beasting to take place.

In his summing up he had asked the jury to consider whether the defendants had been "hung out to dry" while their commander was not prosecuted.

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