British airman ‘unlawfully killed’ during nerve gas test

AN inquest jury yesterday returned a verdict of unlawful killing on the death of a young RAF engineer who took part in secret nerve gas tests 51 years ago.

Ronald Maddison, from Consett, County Durham, died after having drops of Sarin dabbed on his arm at Porton Down chemical warfare testing facility in Wiltshire in 1953.

His family claim he and other military personnel were duped into taking part in what they believed were harmless experiments. It took jurors sitting in Trowbridge five hours to reach their verdict on the 64th day of the inquest.