PFD report

Stephen Roy Chapple and Jennifer Chapple · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 28 Feb 2023•Somerset

Report record

Published report and response evidence

This page connects the concerns raised in this report with statements found in recipients’ published responses. A link shows a clear evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

View original report
Concerns
2

Raised in this report

Recipients
1

Named on the report

Responses found
1

Of 1 recipient

Stated actions
2

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Source document

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

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Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised2

  1. Issuing ceremonial or functional weapons to people leaving the Army who may have a propensity for mental health issues
    Part of recurring concern: Inadequate controls on access to functional weapons
  2. Provision of fully functional deadly weapons to people leaving the British Army
    Part of recurring concern: Inadequate controls on access to functional weapons
Responses linked to these concerns

Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.

Actions described in response An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.2

  1. Action

    Remind entitled units to verify genuine need before issuing Combat Fighting Knives and strictly investigate misappropriation for disciplinary or prosecutorial action.

    Stated by Ministry of DefenceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 7 March 2023.
  2. Action

    Inform Service chiefs of the murder and remind them to scrutinise potentially lethal-item issues and strictly investigate misappropriation for deterrent sanctions.

    Stated by Ministry of DefenceStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 7 March 2023.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.3

  1. Position

    Existing MOD controls on issuing and gifting Combat Fighting Knives are considered appropriate and sufficient to address the concern.

    Stated by Ministry of DefenceExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Issuing ceremonial or functional weapons to people leaving the Army who may have a propensity for mental health issues

Wider context from the report

“The murder weapon was a ceremonial dagger that had been presented to ████████ following his retirement from the British Army. ████████ was in the British Army was 2002 – 2017 (Royal Engineers) and, on leaving, he was presented with the ceremonial dagger as a commemorative token of his service. The dagger was not a blunt replica, it was a fully functional weapon capable of causing significant harm, injury and sadly in the Chapple’s case, death. Please reconsider the appropriateness of providing anyone leaving the British Army, regardless of rank or status, with what is (to all intents and purposes) a deadly weapon. Such presentation/gifting has essentially put a deadly weapon in the community (where I understand it sadly remains, having never been recovered as it was removed from the scene prior to police attendance) and I am not persuaded that this is appropriate. During the trial, evidence was adduced by ████████ defence team to allude to the poor mental health of ████████ because of combat and tours of war-torn countries. This is not an uncommon feature of those serving in and/or leaving the Army and adds further weight to my concerns around the appropriateness of such items (whether ceremonial or not) being issued in the first place, but secondly being issued to those who may have a propensity for mental health issues. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Inadequate controls on access to functional weapons.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Provision of fully functional deadly weapons to people leaving the British Army

Wider context from the report

“The murder weapon was a ceremonial dagger that had been presented to ████████ following his retirement from the British Army. ████████ was in the British Army was 2002 – 2017 (Royal Engineers) and, on leaving, he was presented with the ceremonial dagger as a commemorative token of his service. The dagger was not a blunt replica, it was a fully functional weapon capable of causing significant harm, injury and sadly in the Chapple’s case, death. Please reconsider the appropriateness of providing anyone leaving the British Army, regardless of rank or status, with what is (to all intents and purposes) a deadly weapon. Such presentation/gifting has essentially put a deadly weapon in the community (where I understand it sadly remains, having never been recovered as it was removed from the scene prior to police attendance) and I am not persuaded that this is appropriate. During the trial, evidence was adduced by ████████ defence team to allude to the poor mental health of ████████ because of combat and tours of war-torn countries. This is not an uncommon feature of those serving in and/or leaving the Army and adds further weight to my concerns around the appropriateness of such items (whether ceremonial or not) being issued in the first place, but secondly being issued to those who may have a propensity for mental health issues. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Inadequate controls on access to functional weapons.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Remind entitled units to verify genuine need before issuing Combat Fighting Knives and strictly investigate misappropriation for disciplinary or prosecutorial action.

Verbatim wording from the response

“I consider that MOD’s existing measures are appropriate, however, I have written to the General Officers Commanding the Units entitled to demand/issue Combat Fighting Knives, in order to remind them:”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Defence
Page 2 · response
Published 7 March 2023

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Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Inform Service chiefs of the murder and remind them to scrutinise potentially lethal-item issues and strictly investigate misappropriation for deterrent sanctions.

Verbatim wording from the response

“I consider existing restrictions upon gifting of MOD property to be sufficient, however, I have written to the Service chiefs in order to inform them of this horrific murder and remind them of their duty to ensure that misappropriation of MOD items is identified and investigated. Moreover, that the issue of potentially lethal items should be scrutinised to ensure genuine requirement, and that misappropriation of such items, including combat knives of any type, should be thoroughly investigated and the strictest sanctions applied as a future deterrent.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Defence
Page 3 · response
Published 7 March 2023

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Existing MOD controls on issuing and gifting Combat Fighting Knives are considered appropriate and sufficient to address the concern.

Verbatim wording from the response

“I consider that MOD’s existing measures are appropriate, however, I have written to the General Officers Commanding the Units entitled to demand/issue Combat Fighting Knives, in order to remind them:”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Defence
Page 2 · response
Published 7 March 2023

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

A standing order prohibiting gifts of Combat Fighting Knives would have limited utility because such knives are widely available commercially and legally.

Verbatim wording from the response

“There is a tradition within the MOD of presenting leaving gifts to individuals when they exit the Armed Forces. A Combat Fighting Knife as part of a presentation display is one of many gifts that may be presented to a Service person departing military units associated with the Commando role, especially with 3 Commando Brigade such items are provided using non-public funds such as a collection from colleagues. Combat Fighting Knifes and associated display materials are widely available from a range of suppliers commercially within the UK subject to an age check. Whilst the military chain of command could issue a Standing Order prohibiting Service personnel gifting specific items such as Combat Fighting Knives to Service leavers, such an Order would be of limited utility.”

Source location

Response from Ministry of Defence
Page 3 · response
Published 7 March 2023

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Combat Fighting Knives are not generally provided to departing personnel; they are restricted to those requiring them for specific combat roles.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Matter of Concern 1 – “Please reconsider the appropriateness of providing anyone leaving the British Army, regardless of rank or status, with what is (to all intents and purposes) a deadly weapon.””

Source location

Response from Ministry of Defence
Page 2 · response
Published 7 March 2023

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026