Hilary Meredith Solicitors has appointed war hero and best-selling author Brian Wood as an Ambassador for the firm. At the age of 23, Brian Wood was thrust into the front line in Iraq, in the infamous Battle of Danny Boy. Ambushed, he led a charge across open ground with insurgents firing at just five soldiers….
MPs will today debate whether or not veterans who served in Northern Ireland should be given immunity. The Commons debate follows the success of a petition urging the Government to excuse Northern Ireland veterans from historical criminal investigations. It was signed by more than 146,000 people. Why would you serve in the British Military to…
Hilary Meredith, who provided evidence to Parliament’s Statute of Limitations – Veterans Protections Inquiry, has welcomed news that Defence Secretary Penny Mourdant wants to extend protection to troops from repeated investigations into historical allegations to cover veterans of Northern Ireland. Penny Mordaunt said she feared the Government was in danger of repeating the mistakes of…
Following the Government’s allocation of £10 million to support mental health for veterans through the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, Defence Secretary Penny Mourdant has announced that up to £9 million of this funding will be allocated to mental health and wellbeing activities. She also announced that additional measures will be taken to attract and…
Conservative MP Johnny Mercer says he has withdrawn his support for Theresa May and her government over the historical prosecution of servicemen and women. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr Mercer said it was “regrettable” that he could not continue to support the government. He called on Mrs May to end the “abhorrent…
Former soldier Wayne Bass, who lost his legal claim against the Ministry of Defence (MoD) after contracting Q fever in Afghanistan, has confirmed he is seeking permission to Appeal and has launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover his legal fees. Mr Bass believes the MoD breached its duty of care by failing him to provide…
In a landmark case against the Ministry of Defence, NHS and police, Hilary Meredith Solicitors is representing the widow of a war veteran who committed suicide. Jo Jukes says her husband Dave’s death could have been prevented if there was better communication between the agencies responsible for his mental health. Ms Jukes is the first…
Hilary Meredith Solicitors in Wilmslow has appointed Invictus Gold medallist and high-ranking military solicitor, Natalie Robinson as Head of its Armed Forces Compensation Scheme department. Natalie provided specialist military legal support to the British Army for twelve years, reaching the rank of Major, before being medically discharged in 2015 after an injury on duty led…
Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has announced that a former soldier is to be prosecuted for the murder of a teenage boy who was shot dead in 1972. The veteran, identified as ‘Soldier B’, will face the charge of murdering 15-year-old Daniel Hegarty. He was shot and killed by a member of an Army…
A huge funding disparity over legal representation at Inquests has been uncovered by a campaign charity. Figures released by the charity Inquest reveal that, in 2017, the Ministry of Justice spent £4.2m on legal representation for the prison and probation service. Families on the other hand received £92,000 through the Legal Aid Agency’s exceptional funding…
We will consider this judgment in detail before deciding on the best way forward for our client. Mr Bass, who was discharged from the army in 2014, remains in poor health as a result of the Q fever he contracted in Afghanistan. While considering Mr Bass’ options – including a potential appeal against this judgment…
The Mail on Sunday has reported that law firms behind a ‘witch-hunt’ probe into killings by British troops in Northern Ireland – including Bloody Sunday – are secretly receiving millions of pounds in legal aid. Solicitors are making huge sums by bringing cases on behalf of the families of IRA members killed or jailed during…
Hilary Meredith has won the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award at The Manchester Legal Awards 2019. Hilary was presented with her award at a glamorous black-tie dinner last night at The Midland Hotel. Now in their tenth year, the Manchester Legal Awards recognise and reward the wide range of skills and talent the region has to…
After much speculation and parliamentary debate, it has emerged that army veterans will be protected from prosecution for alleged historic abuses under plans to introduce a 10-year limit on new cases. Defence secretary, Gavin Williamson, is expected to bring forward the proposed legislation in this year’s Queen’s speech. It is believed that the legislation will…
This Friday, 8 March, is International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. International Women’s Day (IWD) has occurred for well over a century, with the first IWD gathering in 1911 supported by over a…
Military solicitor Hilary Meredith has welcomed news that the Defence Secretary will propose legislation to protect the Military from historic charges in this year’s Queen’s speech. This comes as four Army Veterans are expected to be charged with murder over the death of Bloody Sunday protesters in 1972. Gavin Williamson has described cases against servicemen…
I fully support the introduction of a new ID card for armed forces veterans, which will help them access specialist support and services. Any personnel who have left the military since December 2018 will automatically be given one of the new ID cards, which will allow them to maintain a tangible link to their career…
The BBC is reporting that military charities are not coping with the increased demand for mental health support. Shockingly, campaigners estimate that last year, at least 58 veterans took their own lives. The Ministry of Defence spends £22 million pounds a year on mental health for veterans, while the NHS has dedicated around £6m annually…
I was disappointed to read that less than a quarter of British organisations have heard of the Armed Forces Covenant. According to a new report – Benefit not Burden, commissioned by the Forces in Mind Trust – twenty-four per cent of companies have heard of the Covenant, which is a pledge made by the government…