Fed: Kovco's wife upset over skylarking ruling

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2006
Fed: Kovco's wife upset over skylarking ruling

SYDNEY, Dec 25 AAP - Private Jake Kovco's widow says she refuses to accept a military
inquiry report's ruling into her husband's death saying it destroys his reputation.

Shelley Kovco has also spoken about the hurtful hate mail she received, following Pte
Kovco's death on April 21.

The inquiry found the young soldier was "skylarking" with his pistol before shooting
himself in the head in his Baghdad barracks.

Since the December 1 report was published, the Kovco family has been calling for a
coronial inquiry into his his death.

In a New Idea magazine interview to be published this week, Shelley Kovco said: "I
have no doubt about how Jake died, it was an accidental death and I wanted an open finding
that simply stated that, but instead the report says it was an accident due to skylarking,"

she said.

"I can't accept that because Jake was very skilled with weapons and he certainly wouldn't
have been fooling around with his gun.

"Suggesting he was skylarking destroys Jakes reputation.

"People have been incredibly judgemental about Jake and I know some will now assume
he was an idiot with guns and that's not the case at all.

"I need to clear this up for Jake, for myself and for my children's sake.

"I can't accept this finding and I will support a full coronial inquest if it means
the term skylarking will be removed from the file.

"I know it won't bring Jake home but its important to us to protect his reputation."

Mrs Kovco said she wants her two children to know that she did everything she could
to protect their father's memory.

But she told New Idea her much-publicised campaign to restore dignity to Pte Kovco's
death has attracted hate letters.

One them read: "No wonder your husband shot himself because who would want to come
home to a wife like you. I feel sorry for your children growing up with a mother like
you."

AAP pc/imc

KEYWORD: KOVCO

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.