A GRIEVING Army widow has launched a legal case against the Ministry of Defence for failing their family after the death of .

Lindsey Roberts, from Bicester, says she suffered five miscarriages after her traumatised husband attacked her during 'night terrors' in his sleep - is pursuing two claims against the MoD.

The first is over the Army's alleged management failures, in which she says the MoD breached its duty of care to Cpl Andrew Roberts, who died after a Taliban mortar attack in Afghanistan in 2012.

The second is a personal injury claim for the injuries she experienced at the hands of her husband who was suffering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The mother-of-four said: "When Andrew came back from his Iraq and Afghanistan tours, I began to suspect that he had PTSD because he looked as if he was constantly fighting back tears.

"He wasn't physically crying but looked lost and like he was trying to keep a lid on his emotions. He would go quiet and subdued, but a minute later be extra happy.

"Then of course the nightmares started.

"Slowly but surely his erratic behaviour got worse and he started drinking heavily and gambling."

Mrs Roberts believes her late husband Cpl Roberts, 32, would still be alive today if the Army had treated his severe PTSD and medically discharged him.

Instead - six months after a failed suicide attempt in October 2011 - the soldier was sent to Nahr-e Saraj in Helmand, Afghanistan, where he was killed.

She said: "When a civilian is dealing with a mental illness they are sectioned, but when someone in the Army has a mental illness, they are sent to war."

Mrs Robert's claim is the first where an Army widow has sued on behalf of her husband Cpl Roberts - a bomb disposal expert of 23 Pioneer Regt, Royal Logistics Corps at St David's Barracks until September 2014.

He was killed less than two months into his fateful final tour in a Taliban mortar attack on May 4, 2012.

But Mrs Roberts claims Army bosses were aware of his PTSD and should not have sent him back to war.

Over ten years, Cpl Roberts went on tour nine times, including Iraq twice during the 2003 Gulf War, and his last deployment to Afghanistan was his third to the country.

Mrs Roberts described how every time he returned the PTSD had worsened and he would lash out in his sleep because of his night terrors.

In 2009, when Andrew returned from his second tour of Afghanistan this was up to three times a week at their home at St David's Barracks.

Mrs Roberts set up charity The Roberts Project to help veterans, said: "Andrew never meant to hurt me.

"But his night terrors were so bad he would lash out in his sleep and hit me. He thought he was fighting the enemy."

She explained how she and Andrew had three children together - Jessica, Kyle, and Kayla - and said: "They're only here today because Andrew was on tour while I was carrying them."

The widow, who has since had a fourth child after starting a new relationship added: "I am doing this because the Army need to pay attention to their men and the Army wives who support their soldiers.

"If I can make them admit that he wasn't okay, it might bring peace to Andrew's family.

"He shouldn't have died at war - because he never should have been there."

An MoD spokeswoman said: "While we wouldn't comment on a specific legal case, we have robust processes in place to learn lessons from fatalities on the battlefield.

"The mental health of everyone who serves our country is of the utmost importance and we encourage anyone who needs help to come forward and get the assistance they deserve."