IT’S certainly true that when someone signs up with our armed forces they are putting themselves at risk of injury or death combatting terrorism or serving in a war zone.

It follows then that compensation payments are not likely to be as great as those to a civilian who is the totally unexpected and innocent victim of an act of criminality or negligence.

But it is totally unacceptable anyone should be treated like Sergeant Rick Clements.

He suffered truly awful injuries last year doing his duty on our behalf in Afghanistan.

They will affect him gravely for the rest of his life.

In a cold, clinical fashion he has been presented with what amounts to an invoice from the MoD detailing each injury and the amount due in compensation for it.

The total comes to £633,025 but will only get £575,000 – because a cap has been put on such payments to save money.

As MP Nigel Evans points out the sum is negligible compared with bankers’ bonuses.

It is appalling that a government that has failed to curb such inflated payments by taxpayer-owned banks should instead effectively steal cash from someone maimed because of his bravery.