Crumbling Spires: Lance Corporal Matty Hull video.

16 February, 2007

Lance Corporal Matty Hull video.

The Lance Corporal Matty Hull inquest has descended in a legalistic farce. The BBC reports that the coroner has agreed not to show the friendly fire video as part of the official inquest proceedings.

Addressing a pre-inquest hearing on Friday, he said: "I can say quite categorically that if it were not for the potential delay and distress this would cause the family, I would not be willing to be bound by an agreement with the US as to use of evidence that I consider crucial to this inquest.

"I would be wrong to accept that the US are correct in seeking to bind the hands of the coroner's court in this way but in these circumstances I feel that in order to make progress and provide the family with closure, it seems to me that I must act in this way as far as the copy of that video is concerned."

Meanwhile, the rest of the world can watch the full video on the Sun's website and shorter versions on YouTube and various other places including, hopefully, Crumbling Spires.