Press officer sues over Snatch 'lies'

Thursday, August 06, 2009

The MoD is facing a lawsuit from one of its press officers, after he alleged that he developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) from being forced to lie to the families of dead servicemen about the safety of certain combat vehicles.

John Salisbury-Baker is pursuing compensation from the MoD through an employment tribunal, claiming that he was traumatised from having to hold back information on the safety of vehicles such as the Snatch Land Rover.

Salisbury-Baker's job included telling the families of servicemen and the media that the Snatch was safe despite growing concerns that the vehicles were extremely vulnerable to IEDs and mines. He worked at the Imphal barracks in York.

After a soldier was killed. Salisbury-Baker would visit the families to serve as their press representative up to and through the funeral. It was during these visits that he claims he was forced to lie to families, telling them that soldiers killed in IED blasts had been in safe vehicles.

In 2007 he was diagnosed with Angina, a stress related condition. After being off of work for a year he attempted to return to work at the MoD but subsequently was diagnosed with PTSD.

He is claiming that the MoD did not make adequate provision for condition, nor was his condition accepted as a disability. But in his most revealing comments, Salisbury-Baker said that he was not trained for the family liaison role that he so often assumed.

"John is an honest, sensitive and moral person, and having to peddle government lies that soldiers in vehicles such as the Snatch Land Rovers were safe from roadside bombs made him stressed," his partner Christine Brook said.

"He was particularly plagued by the thought that some of the bereaved families he was visiting might have previously believed their loved ones were safe, because of what he himself had said to the media.

"He felt responsible. He has been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder by his doctor and is pursuing a claim for disability discrimination, on the grounds that the stress of what he was being asked to do effectively made him disabled."

The MoD has said it would be inappropriate to comment on a case before an employment tribunal.

At least 37 personnel died in Snatch Land Rovers during the Iraq and Afghan conflicts. The MoD is gradually withdrawling them from service but claims that they are necessary for some combat missions and patrols.