Squaddie throttled by friend A Grieving dad whose soldier son was killed by a comrade today hit out at the Army.

A Grieving dad whose soldier son was killed by a comrade today hitout at the Army.

Private Andrew Dobson, 23, was strangled to death by Portsoysoldier Anthony Stewart in the dormitory they shared.

Pte Stewart, now 27, is currently serving a life term for murder,after being convicted by a jury at Winchester Crown Court of thekilling.

An inquest yesterday in Southampton heard that Stewart had mentalhealth problems and had self-harmed.

He was believed to be jealous of Pte Dobson, who was on the pointof being promoted before the killing in 2002.

The victim's dad, John Dobson, 56, of Newton Stewart, today saidthe Army had failed to protect his son.

He said: "The Army knew he had problems months before hecommitted the murder.

"They shot themselves in the foot by saying Prince Harry could notgo to Afghanistan because he was a Royal and they have a duty of careto protect him.

"But what about my son, did they not have a duty of care toprotect him, because he was a commoner?"

The inquest heard that Stewart had drunk up to 12 bottles of lagerbefore the killing.

Detective Sergeant Steve Mardon told the hearing that Stewart offered Pte Dobson some of his Chinese food.

But as Pte Dobson sat eating the food and watching television,he was attacked from behind.

Stewart later told officers he had donned surgical gloves,placed a rifle sling in a loop and wrapped it around Pte Dobson'sneck and throttled him to death.

Stewart, the inquiry was told yesterday, suffered fromdepression, alcohol abuse and a borderline personality disorder. Hehad previously self-harmed.

DS Mardon told the inquest into Pte Dobson's death that hebelieved Stewart envied his pal's promotion.

"Pte Dobson was definitely on the up and Stewart was on the downand that may have triggered it," the detective said.

Two weeks before the murder, an Army psychiatrist told Stewart hewas recommending his discharge following self-harming incidents.

At the inquest, Coroner Keith Wiseman told how both soldiers'families had written to him criticising the Army, claiming it did nottake mental health seriously.

"The Army's grip over his problem was far, far too late," he said.

Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Birkhead, who manages personnel policyand is based at the Army's Headquarters Adjutant General offices, said lessons had been learned.

A verdict of unlawful killing was recorded.

Pte Stewart's parents, Peter and Kirsteen, refused to comment.

ee.news@ajl.co.uk