A CORONER hit out at failure to properly equip British troops in the lead-up to the Iraq war.

Nicholas Gardiner made his comments during an inquest into the death of a 28-year-old soldier from Batley in a road accident on the night of March 30, 2003, just as the Iraq war began.

Lance Corporal Shaun Brierley was serving with the 1st (UK) Armoured Division Signals Regiment.

The hearing was told that the Land Rover in which he was travelling had infrared plates to deter friendly fire fitted over one headlight.

As a result, the lights did not pick up a large mound of tarmac blocking the road and the driver crashed into it, overturning the vehicle.

According to one of the officers tasked to design the friendly fire equipment, they were given just two weeks, in December 2002, after discussions between Whitehall, the Ministry of Defence and the USA, to come up with designs for manufacture in February 2003 and deployment soon after.

The inquest in Oxford heard that the Combat ID Plates were only to be fitted when night vision equipment was being used instead of headlights, but L-Cpl Brierley's driver, Signalman Carl Cunningham, said he would not have removed them.

He told the inquest: "They were fitted to the vehicles and that was it."

A solicitor, acting for L-Cpl Brierley's partner Brigit Riesenbeck and his six-year-old son Patrick, asked: "Were you told anything about when the plates should be fitted?"

"No," he replied.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, coroner Mr Gardiner told L-Cpl Brierley's family he would write to Defence Secretary Des Browne to air his criticism.

He said: "I do rather get the impression that this was only something that occurred to the powers that be rather late in the day.

"Most of us were not privy to political decisions but I think it was clear that such action was likely to be taken.

"They should have been making plans to properly equip their vehicles at a much earlier point."

L-Cpl Brierley was at Batley Grammar School from 1986 to 1991 and had served several times in Bosnia before he was sent to Kuwait.

The family home is in Healey, Batley.

L-Cpl Brierley was buried with full military honours at Batley Parish Church.