A coroner accused the Ministry of Defence yesterday of an “unforgivable” breach of trust for failing to supply the correct body armour to a sergeant in the Royal Tank Regiment who was fatally shot in the chest by his own troops in the 2003 Iraq war.

Andrew Walker, assistant deputy coroner in Oxfordshire, said at the inquest into the death of 33-year-old Sergeant Steven Roberts: “To send soldiers into a combat zone without the appropriate basic equipment is, in my view, unforgivable and inexcusable and represents a breach of trust that the soldiers have in those in government.”

Sgt Roberts, of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment, died on March 24, 2003, just after the invasion of Iraq, at a time when special enhanced body armour was in short supply.

He had to give his body armour to a soldier in an infantry regiment, even though he was dismounted from his Challenger 2 tank and was facing an irate Iraqi at a checkpoint and was caught in the fire of a British tank chain gun. Both men died. Mr Walker said: “I have heard justification and excuse and I put these to one side as I remind myself that Sgt Roberts lost his life because he did not have that basic piece of equipment. Sgt Roberts’s death was as a result of delay and serious failures . . . that resulted in a significant shortage within his fighting unit of enhanced body armour, none being available for him to wear.”

Samantha Roberts, the soldier’s widow, from Shipley in West Yorkshire, said: “The coroner found failing in training and command in the run-up to and after the shooting, but the single most important factor was the lack of enhanced body armour. If Steve had had that he would be with us today.”

The MoD said: “We take the coroner’s comments extremely seriously and we will examine them as a matter of urgency.”

The coroner was told that there had been an eight-week delay between the request for the kit to authorisation being given by Geoff Hoon, who was then Defence Secretary.

Liam Fox, the Shadow Defence Secretary, said that in a more honourable government, the coroner’s damning remarks would have led to resignations.

Willie Rennie, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, said: “The Government should be utterly ashamed of itself for the appalling failings that led directly to the death of Sgt Roberts.”

The coroner recorded a narrative verdict.

Essential gear

The latest improved body armour is called Osprey and consists of:

A ballistic collar and sleeves that are attached to the vest for neck and upper-arm protection

Times Recommends

• Experts baffled by vanishing sea lions
• CIA caught in a dirty and secretive war
• Double life of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab