Overview
- A Winchester jury delivered a narrative conclusion after a seven-day inquest, finding the precise mechanism of the rifle discharge could not be determined.
- Jurors said inconsistent range management and poor adherence to safety procedures contributed to the incident.
- Lance Corporal Joe Spencer, 24, died of a gunshot to the head on November 1, 2016, when an L115A3 sniper rifle fired as he sheltered in a shipping container at the Tain Air Weapons Range.
- His father, Graham Spencer, paid tribute to a much‑loved son and thanked colleagues who testified, describing the inquest as difficult but necessary to honor Joe’s memory.
- A 2024 Defence Safety Authority report called the death an avoidable accident and criticized course culture and oversight, findings the family dispute, including a reported account of how the weapon may have been positioned.