Tributes paid after South Tyneside soldier dies in Iraq

Tributes have been paid to a soldier from South Tyneside who has died while serving in Iraq.

Captain Dean Sprouting, originally from Jarrow, in South Tyneside, was serving for the Royal Regiment of Scotland. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

The Ministry of Defence says the incident is currently under investigation but has confirmed that it was not the result of enemy activity.

Captain Sprouting joined the Army in 1989. On the successful completion of his basic training, he joined the Royal Green Jackets (RGJ) before transferring to the Adjutant General’s Corps (AGC), Staff and Personnel Support (SPS) Branch in 1991.

During his twenty-nine years of service, Captain Sprouting had served in a number of operational theatres including Northern Yugoslavia, Cyprus and Kosovo.