Newly uncovered emails reveal that Government legal advisors were aware of troops being exposed to radioactive fallout but did not acknowledge this in court proceedings.
A report raising concerns about the exposure of servicemen to radioactive substances was sent to senior officials at the Treasury Solicitor’s department in November 2014, shortly after a judge had ordered new hearings. However, this crucial information was never disclosed to the court, leading to the case being dismissed two years later due to a lack of evidence of exposure.
The development comes as activists await an announcement in Parliament on Tuesday regarding the outcome of a two-year investigation into missing medical records and unethical medical experiments, commonly referred to as the Nuked Blood Scandal.
One of the outspoken individuals seeking justice, widow Anna Smith, who had been challenging the Ministry of Defence for a war pension, expressed her dismay, stating, “It’s wicked. It’s obstructing justice. There’s a complete lack of ethical direction.”
Anna’s late husband, Barry, who served on Christmas Island in 1959, experienced persistent skin issues following his deployment in decontamination activities. Despite developing pancreatic cancer later on, the Ministry of Defence refused to hold a hearing on Anna’s claim, asserting he had never been in a contaminated zone.
In a revelation earlier this year, whistleblowers uncovered evidence of radioactive contamination in the main camp at Christmas Island, contradicting the MoD’s long-standing denial of any risk. Traces of fallout were detected in various environmental elements following a series of thermonuclear tests known as Operation Grapple.
Emails obtained through Freedom of Information requests unveiled that a preliminary version of the report highlighting the radioactive exposure was circulated to officials at the war pensions agency Veterans UK in late 2014. Subsequently, the information was forwarded to senior figures within the Ministry of Defence for consideration.
The report, which had been kept in draft form on an internal server and was only discovered following a tip-off, raised questions about the handling of crucial evidence during legal proceedings.
Legal representatives for the affected veterans, including Oli Troen of McCue Jury, expressed deep concern over the non-disclosure of vital documents during court proceedings and reported the matter to Thames Valley Police for potential obstruction of justice. They have also urged swift action from the Prime Minister to investigate the issue.
While the emails were presented to government ministers in March, no official response or action has been announced to date. In response to the revelations, a Ministry of Defence spokesperson clarified that the document in question was an unfinished draft and was never finalized or sanctioned by the MoD or associated entities.
