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Deepcut inquest: Army recruits 'took illegal drugs' Deepcut inquest: Army recruits 'took illegal drugs'
(about 1 hour later)
Army recruits were left running around taking illegal drugs and drinking while under age, an inquest into the death of a teenage soldier has been told.Army recruits were left running around taking illegal drugs and drinking while under age, an inquest into the death of a teenage soldier has been told.
The court heard of chaos and lack of supervision at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey, where Pte Cheryl James, 18, was found dead from a single bullet wound.The court heard of chaos and lack of supervision at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey, where Pte Cheryl James, 18, was found dead from a single bullet wound.
WO1 Sarah Ditchfield, who trained with Pte James, admitted taking illegal drugs with recruits at a nightclub.WO1 Sarah Ditchfield, who trained with Pte James, admitted taking illegal drugs with recruits at a nightclub.
She said Pte James had taken speed, a class B amphetamine.She said Pte James had taken speed, a class B amphetamine.
"If she went out she would take something, she would take speed," WO1 Ditchfield told Woking Coroner's Court."If she went out she would take something, she would take speed," WO1 Ditchfield told Woking Coroner's Court.
"We were 17-year-old kids who had money in our pockets, there was nothing else for us."We were 17-year-old kids who had money in our pockets, there was nothing else for us.
"There wasn't enough NCOs (non-commissioned officers) to control the amount of recruits they had at the time.""There wasn't enough NCOs (non-commissioned officers) to control the amount of recruits they had at the time."
Pte James, from Llangollen in Denbighshire, was one of four recruits to die from bullet wounds at the base between 1995 and 2002.Pte James, from Llangollen in Denbighshire, was one of four recruits to die from bullet wounds at the base between 1995 and 2002.
An initial inquest into her death in 1995 recorded an open verdict but that was overturned by the High Court, which ordered the new hearing.An initial inquest into her death in 1995 recorded an open verdict but that was overturned by the High Court, which ordered the new hearing.
Who were the Deepcut four? Background to the deaths and timeline of eventsWho were the Deepcut four? Background to the deaths and timeline of events
"Deepcut was worse than Leconfield - in Leconfield we had a day-to-day job to do but in Deepcut there was no ownership on us, we were just left," said WO1 Ditchfield. WO1 Ditchfield broke down in tears as she recalled being told about her friend's death and said Pte James's boyfriend Paul Wilkinson was "in bits".
She broke down in tears as she recalled being told about her friend's death and said Pte James's boyfriend Paul Wilkinson was "in bits". She also spoke about Pte James having a second relationship with another recruit, James Carr-Minns.
WO1 Ditchfield also spoke about Pte James having a second relationship with another recruit, James Carr-Minns. "I don't think she wanted to let anyone down...and found herself in a situation where she didn't want to finish with one of them," said WO1 Ditchfield.
"I don't think she wanted to let anyone down, she was a fun-loving girl, got on with everyone and found herself in a situation where she didn't want to finish with one of them and end the relationship," said WO1 Ditchfield. Another former Deepcut recruit Marina Fawcett told the inquest Pte James was desperate to leave the Army and had asked her to go AWOL (absent without leave) with her.
"It was more than a passing comment because it was what she wanted to do," Ms Fawcett said.
On another occasion Pte James "joked" about killing herself, she added.
"She literally mentioned 'we're going to shoot ourselves on guard duty one day aren't we?' and I said yes," Ms Fawcett said.
"She was saying it as general banter... I don't know why she said it, it just sounded like a laugh like when someone says something stupid."
Ms Fawcett said one of the training sergeants "had a bit of a thing" for Pte James and "basically wanted to get it on with her" but she turned down his advances.
"She said he was horrible," she said.
"They (the senior officers) were on a power trip and they got a buzz off it."
Pte James had been called a "slag" by fellow trainees, the inquest heard.
Ms Fawcett said that on the morning of Pte James's death they had an argument about her love life.
"I might have been winding her up but I knew in a couple of minutes she would be fine," she said.
"That was the last time I seen her. We were all in the guard room and she just seemed her normal self, she seemed fine."
The inquest continues.