Verdict of suicide on Royal Marine 20.02.12
49An inquest has returned a verdict of suicide on a Royal Marine found hanged at his home in London in 2009. Dylan Kemp, a 28-year-old member of 42 Commando Royal Marines, was found dead in his flat in Croydon, south London in September 2009.
The inquest heard he was one of 90% of troops who did not have a welfare interview within the 12-week guideline. But Coroner Roy Palmer told Croydon Coroner's Court the Royal Marines did all they could do to support him.
Mne Kemp wrote in a suicide note that he had "too much anger". He was found dead in his flat two days after being charged with assaulting his girlfriend. Since returning home he was also arrested over an alleged road-rage attack.
Patrick Roche, representing Mne Kemp's mother, Mary Kemp, told Croydon Coroner's Court that despite leaving Afghanistan in April 2009, he had not gone through a Post-Operational Stress Management interview before his death.
Mr Roche asked Warrant Officer Andrew MacFarlane, the discipline warrant officer for 42 Commando, why Mne Kemp had not been interviewed five months after his return.
He replied: "Possibly because no-one knew where he was."
Mne Kemp had joined the Armed Forces Careers Office and was based in London. WO MacFarlane said in his evidence that at the time 90% of marines missed the 12-week mark.
"We try to interview - to capture - everyone within that 12-week period. Unfortunately we weren't able to do it." He agreed with Mr Roche's suggestion that it had been a "fairly dismal failure".
Kate Bex, representing Mne Kemp's girlfriend, Philippa Roscoe, read out extracts of a note he left before taking his life. He wrote: "I had too much anger and only want to be out there. Royal Marine staff are excellent so do not let this be a pitfall for them that I slipped through the net, and I'm sure many will follow."
The inquest had previously heard evidence from Ms Roscoe and a colleague that Mne Kemp had described to them that he had recovered human remains as part of his tour in Afghanistan. But Warrant Officer Russell Taylor told Monday's hearing: "At no point was a member of J Company asked to pick up body parts."
When questioned about evidence that Mne Kemp had talked of "having to pick up his mate's body parts", he replied: "I'm sorry but that is a fabrication." Mne Kemp was deployed to Afghanistan in September 2008 until April 2009, with a two-week break in the UK over Christmas. He was found dead in his home on Nottingham Road, Croydon. He had a ligature bruise on his neck which pathologist Peter Walker had previously described in evidence as "consistent with death by hanging".