13 BLACK WATCH SOLDIERS FAIL DRUG TESTS

THE army yesterday denied there were serious morale or discipline
problems in the Black Watch after 13 soldiers failed drugs tests only
days after a colleague died in a suspected suicide.

Seven of the men will be discharged within weeks from the regiment's
600-strong 1st Battalion based at Fort George near Inverness after
testing positive for illegal drugs. Another five have escaped with a
severe reprimand, while one soldier, who faces being discharged, has
lodged an appeal against the findings.

The results of the routine tests came on Wednesday, three days after
Private Richard Brindley, 20, was found dead from gunshot wounds while
on duty at the barracks.

The men provided samples during compulsory tests three weeks ago. An
army spokeswoman confirmed yesterday that 13 soldiers had tested
positive reportedly for substances including cannabis, amphetamines
and ecstasy. She said all were male and none was an officer.

The spokeswoman said the commanding officer has limited powers to keep
troops once they have tested positive but can do so when it involves
young, inexperienced private soldiers.

In 1997, 12 members of the 1st Battalion Black Watch at Fort George
were discharged after failing a drugs test.

But the spokeswoman denied there was a major problem in the regiment
or the army generally.

She said: "The number of drugs tests in the army which come back
positive amount to just over 0.5 percent, compared to a failure rate
of about 6 or 7 per cent in a civilian workplace with a similar number
of people. The routine tests are designed to get rid of people who
take banned substances."