A British father died from head and chest injuries while fighting with the Ukrainian army, an inquest has heard. Simon Lingard, 38, a former paratrooper from Preston, was killed on 7 November 2022 in Bakhmut, Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine.
The inquest at Oxford Coroner's Court heard that Mr Lingard was struck by fragments from artillery fire while trying to rescue Ukrainians after fighting broke out. His ex-partner, Stacey Longworth, said he was 'an amazing dad and not just a soldier'. She added: 'There's a lot of people that don't agree with what Simon did and have voiced opinions but his family are unbelievably proud of him and we backed him every step of the way.'
Mr Lingard joined the British Army at 16 and served as a paratrooper for two to three years before being medically discharged due to a knee injury. He later worked as a mental health support worker, set up a charity helping those with mental health issues, and trained to become a social worker. He had travelled to Ukraine, returned to see his children, and then went back in August or September 2022.
Ms Longworth said he had spoken to his family the Monday before his death, saying he was going to the front line for the last time and would return the following week. At 19:00 on 7 November, she received a call from a friend in Ukraine who told her Mr Lingard had been killed while fighting. The friend personally carried his body back.
A post-mortem examination by Home Office forensic pathologist Dr Russell Delaney gave the cause of death as penetrating fragment injuries to the head and chest, resulting in 'instant unconsciousness' and rapid death. Ukrainian authorities also attributed the death to explosion and fragments. Mr Lingard was identified using dental records on 8 December 2022.
Coroner Darren Salter gave a narrative conclusion that Mr Lingard was 'killed whilst on active service with the international legion of the Ukrainian army'. He noted Mr Lingard was a 'popular person' and that evidence indicated he was in service with his unit in Bakhmut when struck by artillery fragments.
