MoD censured over soldier's death at Catterick training base

Staff Sergeant John McKelvie of Drongan in Ayr, was killed after the Jackal vehicle he was driving rolled multiple times down a steep hill at Catterick Training Area on 29 January 2019.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that there had been numerous previous rollover events but the Army had failed to foresee what could go wrong.

Standing orders and directions had not been followed and the HSE also found faults with the way the training programme was designed and supervised.

HSE inspector Mark Slater said: “All training, including that which is required to be as realistic as possible, should be planned, risk assessed and executed in such a manner that it does not endanger those who are involved.

“Had the systems implemented by the Army been more robust, Sergeant McKelvie would probably still be alive today.”

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has issued an apology to the soldier's family  saying "We failed John and we are so sorry."

Staff Sergeant John McKelvie (Image: Health and Safety Executive)

The Ministry of Defence cannot be prosecuted for health and safety failings. Instead the HSE issued it with its maximum sanction for a government body, a crown censure.  This is an official record that the Government body failed to meet legal standards.

John’s sister Jacqueline Welsh, giving a statement on behalf of the family, said:  “John was a very outgoing person who loved spending time with his family. He was always there for you whenever you needed him. He loved his motorbike, and he loved sport and the outdoors. He was full of action!”

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• Inquest into Sergeant John McKelvie's death at Catterick Garrison

Her 51-year-old brother had been taking part in Jackal driver training with five other Army reservists.

The off-road aspect of the training included a number of ascents and descents of steep inclines either side of a valley on land known as ‘The Land of Nod’. It was when attempting one of these ascents that the Jackal lost traction and rolled backwards, throwing one of the course leaders from the vehicle as it did so.

Staff Sergeant McKelvie remained in the vehicle suffering serious injuries as it rolled. Despite being airlifted to hospital, he died six days later.

The HSE investigation identified that the training course involved hazardous activities, which gave rise to the potential for the vehicle to roll and exposing those undergoing were exposed to risk.

The HSE did not say that the activity itself should not have taken place. There were other steps that should have been taken to control the dangers with driving the vehicles, however these were not undertaken.

It also found a failure in oversight, meaning the course programme devised progressed too quickly and prevented trainees from developing the necessary expertise and skills before attempting more challenging obstacles on the off-road element of the course.

The risk assessments were not suitable and sufficient, and despite numerous previous ‘rollover events’, the Army failed to foresee what could go wrong.