Southam
Body parts scandal stuns father of fallen paratrooper

Buy photos » Private Jeff 'JJ' Doherty, a paratooper from Southam killed in Afghanistan in 2008. (s)

THE FATHER of a Southam paratrooper killed in Afghanistan is appalled by the revelation that body parts of fallen soldiers were secretly retained by the Army.

It was revealed this week that 60 items of human tissue, which should have been given to families for burial, were stored away by the Royal Military Police (RMP).

The Ministry of Defence later admitted that material was retained without families being informed and that officials are now seeking to contact those affected.

Jeff Doherty of Southam, whose son Jeff 'JJ' Doherty was killed in a firefight in Helmand Province in 2008, is outraged by the news.

He told the Observer: “The questions are why they felt the need to hide the body parts and what they were going to do with them?

“How can they disrespect so many families when their sons gave everything for their country?”

But Mr Doherty added he would not be seeking MoD reassurances as to whether his son was caught up in the body parts scandal, saying he “wouldn't be looking back as it would do me and my family no good.”

Six major body parts plus 54 samples of tissue on laboratory slides were discovered when a new manager was appointed at the headquarters of the 'special investigations branch' of the RMP.

MoD sources told national media the parts had been needed amid special investigations branch matching of ballistics.

Regional news »