Inquest determines that former soldier Stuart Coburn was murdered illegally.

An inquiry has determined that a former British soldier was wrongfully murdered in Iraq while attempting to neutralize a device.

When Stuart Coburn, 43, of Shepton Mallet, Somerset, passed away in August 2016, he was a worker in Ramadi.

The former Army sergeant major was working to disarm a 100 kg IED made by the so-called Islamic State organization, Isis.

He was skilled at finding and recognizing IEDs, but the court heard that he lacked the training necessary to disable them.

According to Samantha Marsh, assistant coroner at Somerset Coroner’s Court, “Stu could not have mistakenly believed himself to be qualified” based on the information.

He was “fully aware” that he lacked the necessary six months of instruction or any relevant expertise to operate an IED, she continued.

He assured me.
The gadget, which was constructed from five gas cylinders and came with a radio control trigger, could be turned on with a dead man’s switch and a cell phone.

The judge was told that it was discovered inside a sizable gap and that movement could trigger it.

No indication that Mr. Coburn was the device’s intended target or that it was being observed, according to Ms. Marsh, but his contact with it triggered the detonation.

According to the odds, bad choices were made that would not have been made by a seasoned operator and that directly caused Stu’s demise.

His wife Jenny Coburn testified at the inquiry that her husband would never put his or anyone else’s life in danger.

She said, “He told me he’d come back if he didn’t feel secure out there.

He assured me he wouldn’t be working on the gadgets himself but would be instructing others instead. “His job there was a search team head and he would be on site in an advising capacity.

“I inclined to trust him, but I had a sneaking suspicion that he would act if necessary.

“I am confident that he would never purposefully endanger anyone or himself.”

Miss their father
According to Ms. Coburn, her husband was in Iraq “to help people of Iraq return to their homes and their lives” after serving with the Royal Engineers for more than 20 years and going on missions to Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq.

“Stu was our family’s rock; he always knew what to do and was a wonderful husband and father,” she said.

Without Stu, life is extremely difficult for me and the kids.

They mourn their dad dreadfully, and it has undoubtedly not been an easy path for them, but they are doing themselves, me, and their dad proud.

“It will always be difficult to be alone, particularly as I observe the daughters mature.

But she continued, “We will never forget Stu and the effect he had on all of our lives.