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| Deepcut recruit's alleged suicide 'did not match emotional state' | |
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| A teenage recruit found shot dead at Deepcut Barracks 20 years ago was behaving normally on the day of her death, although she had been having relationship problems, an inquest has heard. | A teenage recruit found shot dead at Deepcut Barracks 20 years ago was behaving normally on the day of her death, although she had been having relationship problems, an inquest has heard. |
| Cheryl James’s closest friend at the Barracks, Helen Miller, said James was in relationships with two men in the week before her death, but that suicide felt an unlikely way of resolving the emotional turmoil she was feeling. | Cheryl James’s closest friend at the Barracks, Helen Miller, said James was in relationships with two men in the week before her death, but that suicide felt an unlikely way of resolving the emotional turmoil she was feeling. |
| “For her to be troubled to the point of suicide by what was happening in her relationships just seems way beyond extreme in comparison to the problem,” said Miller, a private who trained with James at the barracks. | “For her to be troubled to the point of suicide by what was happening in her relationships just seems way beyond extreme in comparison to the problem,” said Miller, a private who trained with James at the barracks. |
| Miller said she had spoken to James extensively about it in the days before her death and although she accepted at the time that her friend had shot herself, suicide seemed a complete “mismatch” with her emotional state. | Miller said she had spoken to James extensively about it in the days before her death and although she accepted at the time that her friend had shot herself, suicide seemed a complete “mismatch” with her emotional state. |
| “It wasn’t her expressing great upset, it was just indecisiveness. I was shocked by what happened. I wouldn’t have seen that coming,” Miller told Woking coroner’s court on Friday. “I would never have imagined she would take her own life.” | “It wasn’t her expressing great upset, it was just indecisiveness. I was shocked by what happened. I wouldn’t have seen that coming,” Miller told Woking coroner’s court on Friday. “I would never have imagined she would take her own life.” |
| James, 18, from Llangollen, was found dead from a single bullet wound to her head on the morning of 27 November 1995 at a gate where she had been posted as a guard. | James, 18, from Llangollen, was found dead from a single bullet wound to her head on the morning of 27 November 1995 at a gate where she had been posted as a guard. |
| She was one of four recruits to die from bullet wounds at the Surrey barracks between 1995 and 2002 amid claims of bullying and abuse. | She was one of four recruits to die from bullet wounds at the Surrey barracks between 1995 and 2002 amid claims of bullying and abuse. |
| 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. |
| Miller told the court how James had told her she felt she was the “black sheep of the family” because her parents and other members of the family “had blamed her for her cousin’s death”. | Miller told the court how James had told her she felt she was the “black sheep of the family” because her parents and other members of the family “had blamed her for her cousin’s death”. |
| Miller had testified in a statement 14 years ago that James had “buried her real feelings very deeply and put on a happy smile”, but she told the court on Friday that this was the same for everyone. | |
| “I think we all have very deep feelings and we don’t visit them very often,” she said. | “I think we all have very deep feelings and we don’t visit them very often,” she said. |
| Miller was part of a close group of friends at the barracks and one of the last people to see James alive. | Miller was part of a close group of friends at the barracks and one of the last people to see James alive. |
| The inquest heard that James was dating two recruits, Jim Minns and Paul Wilkinson, and although she had ended her relationship with Minns she was still undecided about who she should stay with the day before she died. | The inquest heard that James was dating two recruits, Jim Minns and Paul Wilkinson, and although she had ended her relationship with Minns she was still undecided about who she should stay with the day before she died. |
| Miller said they had spent the day Christmas shopping in Camberley and stole some alcohol from Safeways supermarket for a block party later that night. They spent much of the day chatting about James’s dilemma over Minns and Wilkinson. | Miller said they had spent the day Christmas shopping in Camberley and stole some alcohol from Safeways supermarket for a block party later that night. They spent much of the day chatting about James’s dilemma over Minns and Wilkinson. |
| “The night before she died she still had not decided … I was sitting on the stairs in the block talking to my boyfriend and she wanted to talk to me. I didn’t talk to her. I think it was preying on her mind. She knew she had to make a decision, but she was not very upset,” Miller said. | |
| The following morning they were up for guard duty at 6.30am and had chatted again about the boyfriends, agreeing to talk again at lunchtime. But James was dead by then. | The following morning they were up for guard duty at 6.30am and had chatted again about the boyfriends, agreeing to talk again at lunchtime. But James was dead by then. |
| Miller told the inquest that James “didn’t care about the army” and had come up with several ideas to leave, including migraines or going awol and getting on a plane with a fake passport. | Miller told the inquest that James “didn’t care about the army” and had come up with several ideas to leave, including migraines or going awol and getting on a plane with a fake passport. |
| She had also discussed the death of another recruit, Sean Benton, and what the best way to commit suicide would be. “I do recall [the conversation] and the consensus seemed to be to shoot oneself in the head would be the best way,” Miller said. | She had also discussed the death of another recruit, Sean Benton, and what the best way to commit suicide would be. “I do recall [the conversation] and the consensus seemed to be to shoot oneself in the head would be the best way,” Miller said. |
| Benton was the first of the four recruits alleged to have committed suicide at the barracks. | Benton was the first of the four recruits alleged to have committed suicide at the barracks. |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |