Butcher: my son was a victim of war, the Army let him down
TERRY BUTCHER, the former England football captain, has said his son was a “victim of war” after an inquest heard he struggled with drugs following a tour of Afghanistan.
Mr Butcher, 59, accused the Army of failing his son who died after battling post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
An inquest yesterday heard how his son Christopher, 35, had turned to alcohol and drugs after being discharged from the Army in April 2015 due to the mental health condition.
He choked back tears as described his son’s death as “unnecessary” and claimed that the Armed Forces had “discarded” their responsibilities by failing to properly help veterans.
The inquest heard how Christopher, a former captain in the Royal Artillery, had been haunted by nightmares and flashbacks about his comrades and civilians being killed in Afghanistan.
Mr Butcher found the body of his son in his bedroom when he went to check on him on Oct 16 last year at his home in Bawdsey near Woodbridge, Suffolk. A post mortem examination failed to find his cause of death, but found that he had an enlarged heart, which could have been caused by drug use, the inquest in Ipswich heard. Toxicology tests revealed he had non-lethal levels of cocaine and heroin in his body as well as prescription drugs, which he had been taking for several years. A makeshift crack pipe was also found.
Dr Dan Sharpstone, the Suffolk assistant coroner, concluded that he had died from an enlarged heart due to uncertain causes with a background of drug use and PTSD.
The inquest heard that Christopher had been living for a year with his parents after splitting from his wife Laura.
Mr Butcher said: “Our Armed Forces have a duty to look after their people. We ask that our country considers, what is the right support that should be provided to help our heroes and victims of war?” Dr Sharpstone said: “People with PTSD... are ultimately casualties of war deserving our sympathy, gratitude and respect.”