New inquest to be held on airman in 1953 gas tests

The High Court ordered a fresh inquest yesterday on a young serviceman who died nearly 50 years ago during nerve-gas tests at Porton Down research centre.

The Lord Chief Justice, Lord Woolf, sitting with Mrs Justice Hallett in London, took the "exceptional" course of quashing a misadventure verdict on Leading Aircraftman Ronald Maddison, of Swindon, Wiltshire, who died aged 20, and ordering the new hearing.

Lord Woolf said: "Justice requires that these matters are properly investigated." The original inquest was held in private. The application for the new one was brought by David Masters, the Wiltshire coroner, and was not opposed by the Ministry of Defence.

Former servicemen involved in the tests have campaigned for an inquiry, claiming comrades died after being exposed to nerve agents at Porton Down, near Salisbury. LAC Maddison was said to have been told he was helping in experiments to find a cure for the common cold in May 1953, but died after being exposed to sarin.

The Labour MP Tam Dalyell, who has campaigned for the servicemen since 1967, welcomed the decision. He said: "There is considerable point in having a serious re-opening of this case because never again must the authorities think they can get away with any such treatment of servicemen."

Mr Dalyelladded: "Ronald Maddison thought he was part of an experiment to find a cure for the common cold. He was offered 14 days' leave and £15 was put in his pocket; he was injected and he died."

Mr Maddison's sister Lillias Craik, 68, of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, said: "We are very pleased, thrilled to bits. We just hope that now we will get to know the truth and nothing but the truth."

Alan Care, the family's solicitor, said: "It is an historic moment for the Maddisons, and also legally." A jury is expected to hear the new inquest, likely to last between six and eight weeks.

Seven years ago, 12 people died and 5,000 were injured after a religious cult released sarin gas on the Tokyo subway.