An Army sergeant and Iraq veteran suffering from PTSD killed herself after being harassed by a military senior, a coroner has ruled.
Mother-of-three Sgt Lisa Bateman, 34, from Cleator Moor, Cumbria struggled trying to be ‘the perfect daughter, soldier and mum’ and suffered from PTSD and depression. She was found hanged at her home on July 7, 2020.
She served as an instructor of combat medics in York but a senior member of staff harassed, undermined and then assaulted her while she was there, an inquest heard.
Her father, Mark Bateman, told Cockermouth Coroner’s Court that his daughter was ‘a generous, sweet and well-meaning individual’.
However, he said the harassment and assault was a matter of ‘huge distress’ to her.
Sgt Lisa Bateman, 34, from Cleator Moor, Cumbria struggled trying to be ‘the perfect daughter, soldier and mum’
He was close to his daughter and had been due to meet her in Whitehaven on the day of her death. When she failed to turn up he went to her home where he found her in the garage, unresponsive.
‘During lockdown a long distance relationship came to an end. This hit her very hard, she felt she was always being rejected.’
‘The world did her a disservice,’ he said.
Her father told the inquest she was born in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire.
‘She was one of three, a happy child, bit of a tomboy,’ he said.
She rebelled a bit as a teenager, he said, but then went on to join the Army.
‘She found her feet and made tremendous strides. She relished and excelled,’ he said.
She was posted to Germany and ‘was doing so well, she was very happy in the forces’, said Mr Bateman. She was living with her partner and they had a son.
‘This was the final building block and got her life in place,’ he said.
The situation changed over the years.
‘Unfortunately when her partner was posted elsewhere the relationship fell apart. Lisa became a single mum of three with a growing career.’
She moved to a posting in Harrogate, was promoted rapidly to sergeant and moved to York where she became an instructor of combat medics.
A senior member of staff harassed, undermined and then assaulted her, said Mr Bateman. She had also served time in Iraq.
‘She was diagnosed with extreme PTSD and depression,’ said Mr Bateman.
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He and his partner, Sgt Bateman’s step mother, had moved to New Zealand in 2008 but came home to support her.
They moved to Whitehaven in February 2020. Sgt Bateman moved to Cleator Moor the following month.
Her mother, Carol Scholes, told the inquest: ‘She suffered from depression for many years. She felt she had to be the perfect daughter, soldier and mum.’
Area coroner Kirsty Gomersal heard that Sgt Bateman had been referred to the MoD’s Department of Community Health in July 2019 and a multi-agency care plan was put in place.
The inquest heard from various mental health practitioners and key workers who had engaged regularly with Sgt Bateman. She was on medication.
She had overdosed previously and claimed she was not suicidal but had been struggling to sleep.
Sgt Bateman was due to be medically discharged from the Army in September 2020 and was being supported as she transitioned from military to civilian life.
The medical cause of death was hanging. She tested positive for Covid and had alcohol in her system, a toxicology report revealed.
The amount of alcohol ‘would make her emotionally unstable and give loss of critical judgement’, said Ms Gomersal.
There was no evidence of her prescribed medication in her system.
‘Sgt Bateman was a beloved mother, daughter and sister,’ said the coroner.
‘She was a proud member of the British Army.
‘Those who came to know her held her in high esteem. They found her engaging, polite and generous.
‘She found her feet in the Army.’
Her father said she was subjected to harassment and assault, said Ms Gomersal. That was a matter of huge distress and she was diagnosed with depression and PTSD.
‘She had been prescribed medication and was engaging with mental health services,’ she said.
‘There were a number of stresses in her life at the time of death, on balance of probability Lisa intended to take her own life.’
She offered ‘my deepest condolences for their tragic loss’ to her parents and family.
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details.
Source: Daily Mail
