TWO army officers and a warrant officer face charges over the death of a young man from Cork who was killed during a live ammunition training exercise.
21-year-old Ranger Michael Maguire, of the 1st Batallion, Royal Irish Regiment, was fatally shot in the head during a live ammunition training exercise at the Castlemartin Training Area in Pembrokeshire in May 2012.
Nigel Lickley QC, prosecuting, told the trial at Bulford that soldiers on one range were firing directly at those on the neighbouring range, who were about 1km away and would have been visible.
A court-martial has heard that the three officers “had a total disregard for the safety”.
Ranger Maguire had joined the battalion in May 2010 and had completed a tour of Afghanistan.
Captain Jonathan Price, 32, now of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish, is accused of the manslaughter by gross negligence of Rgr Maguire through his failure to set up and supervise a safe exercise.
The training was preparing the troops for deployment to Kenya.
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Bell, 45, and Warrant Officer Stuart Pankhurst, 40, are both accused of negligently performing a duty.
All three defendants deny the charges and the trial, which is expected to last about six weeks.
