An inquest into the death of a former soldier at the Australian embassy in Iraq has heard a man in the room when he died was a ‘loose cannon’.

November 6, 2019

A former commando who witnessed a colleague shoot himself in the head following a drinking session at the Australian embassy in Iraq was a “loose cannon”, an inquest has heard.

Christopher Betts, 34, worked as a private security contractor in the Baghdad embassy when he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on May 12, 2016.

He died after a night of drinking with fellow contractor Sun McKay in the living quarters at the embassy, the Brisbane Coroners Court has heard.

Mr McKay told investigators Mr Betts picked up his Glock 17 pistol and put it to his head while saying “it’s time to play clear or not clear” before pulling the trigger.

Australian Federal Police were unable to determine if the death was caused by misadventure or suicide, however, Mr Betts’ family raised concerns about Mr Sun being in the room and the absence of a suicide note.

“They were concerned Sun had killed Chris,” Australian Federal Police Detective Sergeant William Freeman has told the inquest.

On Tuesday, one of the men Mr Betts’ was drinking with before he died, Benjamin Turner, told the inquest Mr Mackay once pointed an unloaded rifle at him in the same room Mr Betts died in.

“I said, ‘It’s the most f**king unprofessional thing I’ve ever seen’ and I stood up, I was agitated … then he pointed it at (Chris Betts who) sort of shrugged as if it was nothing,” he said.

“Then (Sun) fired the action.”

Mr Turner said some colleagues regarded Mr McKay as “a bit crazy”.

“Even my team leader pulled me aside once and said he was but, I guess, everyone was an ex-soldier so everyone was a bit out there anyway,” he said.

Earlier, the inquest was shown a personal text message sent to a DFAT staff member by a former member of the security team nurse after Mr Betts was shot.

“So Sun killed him … Chris Betts would never commit suicide,” it said.

“Sun is a loose cannon … make sure (he) he is drug-tested.”

The inquest continues on Wednesday.