Edmonton soldier found hanged in cell 'different young man' after Afghanistan

A soldier who hanged himself while under arrest for drunk driving was a changed man when he returned from a tour in Afghanistan in 2010, a fatality inquiry heard Monday.

Cpl. Shaun Collins died two days after he was taken into custody by military police at Edmonton Garrison on March 9, 2011.

Collins, who served with the 1PPCLI, was drinking at a private club on the base when he drove off.

MPs were alerted and managed to stop Collins, 27, before he left the base, testified Warrant Officer James Boyd.

After his arrest, Collins became abusive and was placed in a cell, Boyd said. A short time later, when Boyd went to check on him, he found Collins hanging from the bars of the cell door. Collins died in hospital two days later. 

Collins had attempted suicide previously and had been abusing alcohol since his return from Afghanistan, testified Shaun Ali, a social worker with the military.

Ali first met Collins in 2008 when the young soldier came to him about a workplace harassment issue, saying he was being bullied.

Ali saw Collins five or six times, the final meeting in July 2009, before Collins left for a tour in Afghanistan.

Collins seemed fine before tour

Collins seemed to be doing OK, Ali told the inquiry.

Ali saw his client again after Collins returned from his tour in August 2010.

"He was quite a different young man," Ali said.

Collins complained he was being mistreated by the chain of command, specifically his sergeant.

He told Ali he had been in fire-fights and now suffered from depression, thoughts of suicide and was drinking heavily.

Ali thought if Collins could manage his drinking, they could work on other symptoms, but he said Collins rejected addictions counselling.

Ali testified Collins made two previous suicide attempts while under the influence of alcohol.

Collins did seem to want help, Ali said.

Later in the hearing, Boyd was asked about the safety of cells in the guardhouse at Edmonton Garrison.

Boyd acknowledged the open bars in the jail-cell door put prisoners with suicidal intentions at risk, and that fact had been identified as an issue across the country by the military.

Following Collins' death, the bars in the cell doors have been closed by mesh.

The fatality inquiry, intended to help prevent similar deaths, is scheduled to last until Thursday.