Justice for my son: Mum urges help for servicemen after marine takes own life (From Croydon Guardian)

Justice for my son: Mum urges help for servicemen after marine takes own life

8:43am Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in News By Hannah Williamson

The grieving mother of a Royal Marine who committed suicide after returning from a tour in Afghanistan is considering taking legal action against the Ministry of Defence to highlight how her son was let down.

Marine Dylan Kemp was found hanged at his home in Nottingham Road, south Croydon, on September 21, 2009.

He had been deployed to Afghanistan between September 2008 and April 2009, with a two-week break in the UK over Christmas.

In a suicide note left by the 28-year-old, he said his deployment with the 42 Commando Royal Marines had left him angry and he had “slipped through the net.”

Mum Mary Kemp said in a statement read out by her lawyer outside Croydon Coroner’s Court: “She is pleased the circumstances surrounding her son’s death have been fully investigated but wishes to place on record her concern that armed forces personnel, like her son Dylan, do not have enough debriefing and support after time spent in demanding and stressful combat zones.

"She is also critical of the support and information provided for the mothers, wives and families of armed forces personnel and says if more support had been available for when her son came home she would have been better prepared and better able to help him.

“Mrs Kemp wants to obtain justice for Dylan and most importantly help other members of the armed forces who encounter psychological problems after being exposed to the trauma of serving in combat zones.”

Croydon Coroner’s Court heard Marine Kemp’s mother and girlfriend Philippa Roscoe had become concerned about what he had seen while away, after he repeatedly told them one of his duties was to bag up body parts, but his claims were refuted by Royal Marine officers.

The inquest heard Marine Kemp failed to have a post-operational stress management interview in the five months following his return, which is used to identify potential stress-related issues.

Part of Marine Kemp’s note read: “Please do as much fundraising for the Marines who have been to Afghanistan and end up as messed up as I have.

"I have too much anger inside me and only want to be back there.

“Royal Marine staff are excellent so don’t let this be a pitfall for them, but I’ve slipped through the net and I am sure many will follow.”

His mother Mary Kemp said she wished to place on record her concerns about the marine’s decompression period.

The inquest heard Marine Kemp was arrested and charged two days before his death for assaulting his girlfriend Philippa Roscoe, after a night out drinking with friends.

The month before he was arrested for common assault in connection with a road rage incident in May 2009, but at the time of his death the inquiries were still ongoing and he had not been charged.

Recording a verdict of suicide, Coroner Dr Roy Palmer said he was satisfied the Marines had done “all they could” to support their troops.

Speaking of his arrests, Dr Palmer said Marine Kemp would not have known whether the arrests would have had a serious impact on his career within the Marines and ambitions to join the Special Forces.

He said: “I do not doubt that as a dedicated serving Royal Marine he would have had a sense of profound regret and probably shame about the arrest and what he may have thought to be the likely consequence.

"At the time of his death Dylan Kemp did not know for sure the outcome of any decision the Crown Prosecution Service may have taken. Nor did he know the likely outcome of the section 39 charge for the domestic incident.

“None of us can read Dylan’s mind or know for sure what was in his thoughts, but he may well have believed that the two matters for which he was arrested would have been career limiting, particularly to a man who wanted to serve in the UK Special Forces.”