Deepcut barracks: fresh inquest ordered into soldier's death

Deepcut barracks: fresh inquest ordered into soldier's death
High court quashes 1995 open verdict into death of Pte Cheryl James, one of four soldiers who died amid bullying claims


Private Cheryl James was found dead from a single gunshot wound in November 1995. Photograph: PA

An answer to the long-running mystery surrounding unexplained fatal shootings of army recruits at the Deepcut barracks in Surrey could be a step closer after the high court ordered a new inquest into the death of Pte Cheryl James, who was found dead in 1995 with a bullet wound between her right eye and the bridge of her nose.

After the 18-year-old's body was discovered, Surrey police handed the matter over to the army. An open verdict was recorded at the original hour-long inquest with key witnesses not called, medical records not inspected, and important evidence ignored, the civil rights group Liberty said.

Her death was treated as suicide though she was described as being "cheerful, happy and content".

Liberty, which represents James's parents, Des and Doreen, applied for a new inquest after using the Human Rights Act to access more than 40 documents, many in the hands of the Surrey police, relating to her death.

James was one of four soldiers who died between 1995 and 2002 at the Deepcut barracks, where recruits claimed there was widespread bullying and abuse.

The three others – Sean Benton, 20, James Collinson, 17, and Geoff Gray, 17 – also died from gunshot wounds.

Mr Justice Mitting and Judge Peter Thornton QC ruled on Friday there was "an insufficiency of inquiry" at James's 1995 inquest and quashed its open verdict. Thornton said "the discovery of new facts or evidence" made "a fresh investigation including a fresh inquest necessary or desirable in the interests of justice".

James was undergoing initial training at Deepcut when she was found dead.

Her parents said they were delighted to have a fresh inquest even though a meaningful inquiry would be almost 20 years late. "We can only hope that Cheryl's legacy helps change the current ineffective and discredited military justice system," they said.

They added: "When young people die in violent circumstances, a rigorous and transparent investigation should be automatic. Something went dreadfully wrong at Deepcut, yet until now no one has bothered to look at how and why our daughter died.

"We question why the present coalition has been deafeningly silent regarding Deepcut ever since. We must ask, had these four young people died at Eton or Oxford University, would it have been so hard to get an independent inquiry?"

Liberty solicitor Emma Norton, representing the family, said: "Cheryl's family refused to let her death be swept under the carpet, but they've had to fight at every stage for answers in the face of a state that thought it could ignore the basic human rights of its troops. Cheryl was preparing for a life of service and deserved so much better – her family can now hope to finally get some answers."

The new inquest will be conducted by a different coroner. Thornton said it could be held outside Surrey if the county's senior coroner considered that, "in view of any aspect of the Surrey police's prior involvement in this case", it would be inappropriate for the inquest to be held in his area.

The judge noted that James was a recruit with the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) when she died at the barracks. She had been posted, alone and armed with an SA80 rifle, to guard a gate known as A2 at Royal Way on 27 November 1995.

She was found at about 8.30am close to the gate in a small wooded area surrounded by trees, with a bullet wound to the front of her head and no other signs of injury.

On the day of her death James was reported to be in good spirits, and in the preceding weeks had been described as "cheerful, happy and content".

The soldier was the second recruit to die at Deepcut. Liberty is now acting for the families of Benton and Collinson to pursue their cases. Surrey police investigations concluded that there was no evidence of third-party involvement. However, the parents say they were told little about what had happened and were refused access to all of the material uncovered by the police.

Liberty gained access to 44 volumes of statements, documents, notes and photographs that contain significant forensic evidence relating to James's case.

After being asked to conduct a separate investigation, Nicholas Blake QC, now a judge, in 2006 rejected calls for a public inquiry by the families of the four recruits who died. He concluded there was no evidence that the deaths were anything other than self-inflicted, though he reported that bullying, harassment, "foul abuse" and a systemic failure to investigate complaints were part of life at Deepcut.

Thornton said Surrey police reopened their investigation into James's death in July 2002, following the other deaths at Deepcut and allegations there had been an "inadequate inquiry" into them.

The reinvestigation was itself the subject of a review by Devon and Cornwall police in August 2005 called Operation Stanza.

Thornton said the police at first refused disclosure, but handed over some 44 lever arch files of documents after being threatened with legal action.

The police said there were further relevant materials which had yet to be provided to the family – but what had been disclosed "affords fresh grounds for an inquest".

This included "important material relating to ballistics, the noise of the gunshot, bullet fragments, the finding of the body, the credibility of some witnesses, and further witnesses."

The judge declared: "I have come to the conclusion on the material put before us that, by reason of insufficiency of inquiry and the discovery of new facts or evidence, it is necessary or desirable in the interests of justice that a fresh investigation including a fresh inquest should be held."

The family's application for a fresh inquest was not opposed by the Surrey coroner or the Ministry of Defence.
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/jul/18/deepcut-barracks-fresh-inquest-private-cheryl-james

About time, the whole thing was a cover up from start to finish, and the army tried to stop the police investigations. Perhaps this time the truth will come out.

Now, how many times have we seen this, and for me, BigAndy9 to come and say "they'll keep having them, until the liberal do-gooders get the result they demand"?

A lot.

Oh, someone who wants the truth about the death of an 18 year old girl is a 'do gooder' in your book. Shame on you.

Sassy wrote:Oh, someone who wants the truth about the death of an 18 year old girl is a 'do gooder' in your book.   Shame on you.

lol

I think there was an inquest, closer to the time.

Like all the others - 30 years later, 50 years later - whatever, you'll get the verdict you want.

If they don't get the right one now - have another in 20 years - they'll get it.

BigAndy9 wrote:

Sassy wrote:Oh, someone who wants the truth about the death of an 18 year old girl is a 'do gooder' in your book.   Shame on you.

lol

I think there was an inquest, closer to the time.

Like all the others - 30 years later, 50 years later - whatever, you'll get the verdict you want.

If they don't get the right one now - have another in 20 years - they'll get it.

Sometimes it takes a while for the truth to come out, like Hillsborough, when there are people who don't want it to.

Yeah Sassy.

It's a little bit like modern parents - eventually, they'll give in because they're so weak and thinking of themselves.

I like being strong and having the courage of my convictions.

No, you just don't give a fuck about justice.