by Andy Gray

agray@thekmgroup.co.uk

There will be no prosecutions following the death by friendly fire of a Maidstone-born soldier killed in Afghanistan.

L Cpl Michael Pritchard, of the 4th Regiment, Royal Military Police, was shot dead in the Sangin area, in central Helmand Province, on December 20, 2009.

A Royal Military Police investigation, which lasted 10 months, concluded there were reasonable grounds to suspect that Lt Michael Holden, who was serving with A Company, 4 Rifles, had acted with gross negligence during the incident which led to L Cpl Pritchard's death.

It was alleged that Lt Holden mistook L Cpl Pritchard for a member of the Taliban when a senior officer reportedly ordered him to open fire.

There was speculation that Lt Holden could face a charge of manslaughter, but following an examination of the case by the Service Prosecuting Authority, the Ministry of Defence has announced that no prosecutions will be made.

An inquest will now be carried out.

An MoD spokesman said: "The SPA has reviewed the case into the death of L/Cpl Michael Pritchard and has decided no charges should be brought.

"An inquest into his death will be conducted and it would be inappropriate to comment further until the coroner has completed this.

"We remain in contact with his family as we have throughout the investigation and our thoughts are with them at this difficult time."

L Cpl Pritchard, 22, who moved with his family to Eastbourne as a child, was manning an observation post inside a patrol base on the night he died.

He had been under surveillance from a group of soldiers under the command of Lt Holden several hundred metres away.

He was wearing his body armour and helmet and was armed. He was reportedly killed by a single shot which entered his chest through a small gap in his armour.

It is understood the shooting may have taken place during the hours of darkness or a period when visibility was poor.

The Military Police investigation has found that there was a "catastrophic breakdown" in communication between Lt Holden's team and other soldiers in the area, it is reported.