A catalogue of “inexcusable” errors in the office of the Defence Secretary led to the story-selling fiasco over the sailors taken hostage in Iran, it can be revealed. Des Browne was out of touch with his advisers and most senior aides for almost 24 hours as naval chiefs drew up plans to allow the sailors and Marines to talk and profit financially from their 13-day “ordeal”, sparking accusations that he “went Awol”.