A FORMER serviceman who claims the Ministry of Defence used him as a guinea pig says he is stunned at its decision to contest an inquest verdict into the death of one of his colleagues.

Ken Earl, of Marsham Street, Maidstone, is chairman of the Porton Down Veterans Support Group which campaigns for servicemen tested with Sarin at the MoD’s secret testing facility in Wiltshire.

In November Mr Earl spoke of his delight after a jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing into the death of Leading Aircraftman Ronald Maddison who died aged 20, just 45 minutes after the nerve agent Sarin was dripped on his arm in May 1953.

Now the Under Secretary of State for Defence Ivor Caplin has written to Ronald Maddison’s family apologising for his death but confirming the MoD will be seeking a judicial review.

Mr Earl, 71, said: “I am absolutely flabbergasted that the Ministry of Defence has decided to do this. This inquest took six months, heard evidence from around 100 witnesses and read around 4,000 pages of documents.

“Why can’t the MoD accept that it was a thorough and transparent inquest and accept the verdict?”

Mr Earl says the group will still be pressing for a public inquiry into the tests.

He added: “I don’t think the MoD will win their review and it hasn’t made us any less determined. All of our members who can have written to their MPs asking them to call for an inquiry and we will continue our campaign.”