THE supervisors of an SAS training exercise in which three soldiers died won’t face manslaughter charges.

Today (Thurs), the Crown Prosecution Service confirmed that an independent  review of an initial decision not to charge over the deaths on the Brecon Beacons in 2013 had reached the same conclusion.

In a statement, the CPS said that conclusion concurred with the assessment of “ insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction” on charges of gross negligence manslaughter.

An investigation into the deaths by the health and safety executive (HSE) is on-going supported by Dyfed-Powys Police which carried out the criminal inquiry.

The review into the ruling out of criminal charges started in September last year after an appeal by two of the soldiers’ families.

Reservists L/Cpl  Edward Maher, L/Cpl Craig Roberts, and Cpl James Dunsby died in July, 2013, after taking part in a training exercise on Pen Y Fan in sweltering heat.

An inquest into all three deaths was due to begin in October, but may now be underway in May.

The deaths saw the HSE say SAS training posed a “serious risk” to soldiers with the regiment put under orders to tackle risks revealed by an ongoing investigation.

Maher, Roberts and Dunsby  took part in a 40-mile hike over the Beacons in temperatures topping 29.5C (85F).

They were among six men rescued during the exercise which had been part of a four-week trial for the Territorial Army’s SAS reservists.

Roberts, 24, died at the scene.  Maher, 31, died at  Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil, three hours later, and Dunsby later that month.

The HSE subsequently served a Crown Improvement Notice ordering the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to improve its response to heat illness risk on exercises.

That order meant an HSE inspector believed such exercises presented a serious health and safety risk.

The notice stated that the MoD as an employer “failed to make a suitable and sufficient assessment” of risks to the health and safety of the soldiers on the test, including those relating to heat illness.

With no right of appeal, the MoD had to comply over issues including the duration and intensity of the exercise, the suitability of clothing, and availability of water.