An 'exceptional' British paratrooper who died helping Ukrainian troops in the war against Russia was killed by an explosion, a coroner has ruled.
Lance Corporal George Hooley, 28, a member of the Parachute Regiment, died on December 9 last year in what the Ministry of Defence described as a "tragic accident". It had not been public knowledge that paratroopers were in Ukraine prior to the incident.
Inquest reveals cause of death
An inquest conducted partly in secret this week revealed he had died from injuries suffered in an explosion away from the front line during a Ukrainian weapons test.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said that limited numbers of Armed Forces personnel are being deployed to Ukraine, to provide security for the British diplomatic presence and support the Ukrainian armed forces. On Tuesday this week, senior coroner for Oxfordshire Darren Salter reached his conclusion on his own in private.
Coroner's findings
He said: "L/Cpl George Hooley was a soldier in the British Army serving in the Parachute Regiment in Ukraine. On the early morning of 6/12/25 he sustained multiple injuries from an explosion while observing Ukrainian Forces test a new defensive capability away from the front line."
"He received prompt emergency medical treatment at the scene and subsequently underwent surgery but died from his injuries in hospital in Kiev on 9/12/25."
The coroner said he had been provided with only "limited evidence" about the circumstances and cause of the explosion, but did not elaborate on what this was. Mr Salter said he received statements from L/Cpl Hooley's Army colleagues and British Army doctors, and had also been provided with "Ukrainian documents" which set out that soldier had been treated in at least two hospitals, including one in Kyiv.
Tributes to 'exceptional soldier'
He added that he found "no suspicious circumstances", and called the death "sadly straightforward". Rejecting a call for a public hearing, the coroner said L/Cpl Hooley's family "made a specific request for his inquest to be conducted in writing", and that other parties had been consulted before it was decided to hold the inquest behind closed doors.
L/Cpl Hooley had joined the British Army in November 2015, and was chosen for the Parachute Regiment after being identified as a high achiever. He was an "exceptional soldier" on the verge of being promoted to Corporal, the MoD said previously.
His company commander called him "model of professionalism", adding: "George didn't just do his job, he excelled at it. A born soldier, he set the standard – the other soldiers watched to learn how things should be done, he made us all better, individually and collectively."
"He approached every task with dedication, integrity and pride. His colleagues will tell you that he wasn't just part of the team, he was the character within it. The glue. The laughter. The calm voice of sense. The soldier who made the hard days easy and the good days memorable."
The MoD did not respond to questions about the fatal explosion.
