A NORTH-East mother whose son was killed by an armed mob in Iraq has lost the latest round of her legal battle for a new independent inquiry into his death.

Court of Appeal judges in London dismissed a challenge by Patricia Long against an earlier High Court ruling that she did not have a “right in law” to another investigation.

Corporal Paul Long, 24, and five Royal Military Police (RMP) colleagues – known as the Red Caps – died on June 24, 2003 after the police station where they were sent, in Majar-al-Kabir in south-east Iraq, to meet police they had been tasked to develop was surrounded and attacked.

Lawyers for Mrs Long, of Jarrow, South Tyneside argued all formal inquiries so far, including an inquest, failed to establish how mistakes that led to the deaths were made – and who was responsible for them.

Killed along with Cpl Long were Ben Hyde, 23, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire and Simon Miller, 21, from Washington, Wearside.

Today’s (Friday, July 17) decision was announced by the Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson, sitting with Lord Justice Lewison and Lord Justice Underhill.

The judges said they were satisfied that Mrs Long “cannot require” the Defence Secretary to hold another inquiry.

Mrs Long’s case is that there has not been a “sufficient investigation” into the circumstances of her son’s death and this constitutes a breach of Article 2 – the right to life – of the European Convention on Human Rights.

During the appeal hearing last month, Michael Fordham QC, for Mrs Long, said the six Red Caps had been sent to the police station without an iridium satellite phone, which might have enabled them to call for help - despite a clear order issued a month before by the commander of the battle group occupying Maysan province that all patrols should have the equipment.

Lord Dyson said it was not disputed if C section, in which Cpl Long served, had had such a phone “their lives might have been saved”.

He said he was “only too aware of the anguish” Mrs Long continues to suffer over her son’s death and it is “entirely understandable” she wishes to “leave no stone unturned in her quest to discover precisely how the RMP soldiers were not provided with iridium phones when they should have been”.

But he said he was satisfied that “as a matter of law she is not entitled to any further investigation into this tragic affair”.

Lord Justice Lewison said the state had substantially discharged its investigative obligations under Article 2.

Afterwards, Padraig Hughes, from Public Interest Lawyers, said: “We are disappointed that the court found this duty to have already been discharged.

“It is important that those in command who fail to ensure that safe practices set out in army orders are carried into effect are held to account.

“Over 12 years after her son’s death Pat Long still does not know the full truth as to why he and five other RMP soldiers did not have a satellite phone where there was an order requiring RMP patrols to be equipped with one.”