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Deepcut barracks failed in duty to young army recruits, coroner finds Deepcut inquest finds no evidence Cheryl James was unlawfully killed
(about 1 hour later)
Deepcut barracks, the army base at which a teenage recruit was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head, failed in its duty of care to its young recruits, a coroner has said. There is no evidence that Pte Cheryl James, the 18-year-old army recruit who was found with a fatal gunshot wound at the Deepcut barracks, was unlawfully killed, an inquest has found.
Pte Cheryl James, 18, from Llangollen, north Wales, was found with a single bullet wound to the head while on lone armed guard duty at the barracks in Surrey on 27 November 1995. The coroner, Brian Barker QC, did however find that the troubled army base in Surrey, where four recruits died in seven years, had failed in its duty of care to its young recruits.
A second inquest into her death, which was launched after the high court quashed the first and is expected to conclude on Friday, has heard evidence that life at the barracks was highly-sexualised, often alcohol-fuelled and “toxic”. James, 18, from Llangollen, north Wales, was found with a single bullet wound to the head while on lone armed guard duty at the barracks in Surrey on 27 November 1995.
James’s parents fought a two-decade battle for a full and open hearing into her death. A second inquest into her death, which was launched after the high court quashed the first, concluded at Woking coroners court on Friday, after hearing evidence that life at the barracks was highly-sexualised, often alcohol-fuelled and “toxic”.
Related: Cheryl James: teacher recalled 'mixed-up kid' with 'deep-seated problems'Related: Cheryl James: teacher recalled 'mixed-up kid' with 'deep-seated problems'
James was one of four young army recruits to die from gunshot wounds while on guard duty at the Surrey barracks amid claims of bullying and abuse between 1995 and 2002. But Barker said on Friday afternoon: “When I ask myself if there is sufficient evidence with which I can properly reach a conclusion of unlawful killing, the only answer I have is ‘no’.”
James’s parents fought a two-decade battle for a full and open hearing into her death. Their daughter was one of four young army recruits to die from gunshot wounds while on guard duty at the Surrey barracks amid claims of bullying and abuse between 1995 and 2002.
The original inquest, which lasted just one hour and was held three weeks after her death, recorded an open verdict. Her parents, Des and Doreen James, have maintained there was never a thorough inquiry.The original inquest, which lasted just one hour and was held three weeks after her death, recorded an open verdict. Her parents, Des and Doreen James, have maintained there was never a thorough inquiry.
Following years of campaigning, supported by the human rights organisation Liberty, her family won a high court battle to have the original verdict dismissed and a fresh inquest held. The second inquest lasted three months and heard from 109 witnesses.Following years of campaigning, supported by the human rights organisation Liberty, her family won a high court battle to have the original verdict dismissed and a fresh inquest held. The second inquest lasted three months and heard from 109 witnesses.
During the hearing, evidence was presented of the culture at Deepcut being “heavily sexualised”, with recruits “out of control” and of senior ranks bullying and sexually harassing female teenage recruits.During the hearing, evidence was presented of the culture at Deepcut being “heavily sexualised”, with recruits “out of control” and of senior ranks bullying and sexually harassing female teenage recruits.
There were also questions raised about the provision at the barracks of adequate care to its many recruits, and concerns voiced that James’s lone guard duty on the night of her death contravened army policy.There were also questions raised about the provision at the barracks of adequate care to its many recruits, and concerns voiced that James’s lone guard duty on the night of her death contravened army policy.
A previous inquiry, the Blake review in 2006, into the four deaths, concluded it was most likely James had shot herself. Alison Foster QC, representing the family and Liberty, has argued third-party involvement could not be ruled out.A previous inquiry, the Blake review in 2006, into the four deaths, concluded it was most likely James had shot herself. Alison Foster QC, representing the family and Liberty, has argued third-party involvement could not be ruled out.
Speaking at the conclusion of the inquest, coroner Brian Barker QC said Surrey police had apologised and recognised that they should have taken primacy of the initial investigation in 1995. He went on to detail a number of failings at Deepcut before delivering a final verdict.Speaking at the conclusion of the inquest, coroner Brian Barker QC said Surrey police had apologised and recognised that they should have taken primacy of the initial investigation in 1995. He went on to detail a number of failings at Deepcut before delivering a final verdict.
“It seems to me that lone armed guard duty is a potentially dangerous activity,” he said. A policy was in place that meant women should not be left alone on guard duty, but Barker said “there was at Deepcut a wholesale lack of awareness of that provision”.“It seems to me that lone armed guard duty is a potentially dangerous activity,” he said. A policy was in place that meant women should not be left alone on guard duty, but Barker said “there was at Deepcut a wholesale lack of awareness of that provision”.
He added that it was “at least arguable” that the potential risk to women on lone guard duty “should have been identified and steps taken to reduce that risk before Ms James’s death”.He added that it was “at least arguable” that the potential risk to women on lone guard duty “should have been identified and steps taken to reduce that risk before Ms James’s death”.
He also said Deepcut barracks had failed in its duty of care to its young recruits, explaining that there were far too few officers to train and look after the young recruits, who were left bored and indisciplined.He also said Deepcut barracks had failed in its duty of care to its young recruits, explaining that there were far too few officers to train and look after the young recruits, who were left bored and indisciplined.
“The ratio of staff to squaddies was inadequate,” he said, adding: “While some intermittent training was provided, there were too few permanent staff to deliver it and put into place a structured regime to occupy and meet a duty of care to those young men and women.”“The ratio of staff to squaddies was inadequate,” he said, adding: “While some intermittent training was provided, there were too few permanent staff to deliver it and put into place a structured regime to occupy and meet a duty of care to those young men and women.”
The coroner also found that there was evidence of inappropriate sexual relationships between commanding officers or instructors and trainees. The army has accepted during the inquest that some instructors “saw young females as a sexual challenge”.The coroner also found that there was evidence of inappropriate sexual relationships between commanding officers or instructors and trainees. The army has accepted during the inquest that some instructors “saw young females as a sexual challenge”.
Baker continued: “The evidence of this inquest supports the presence of consensual but improper relations between instructors and trainees.” He said more serious allegations of abuse were “outside this inquest’s scope”, but added “the general culture of Deepcut in 1995 was far below the standard expected”.Baker continued: “The evidence of this inquest supports the presence of consensual but improper relations between instructors and trainees.” He said more serious allegations of abuse were “outside this inquest’s scope”, but added “the general culture of Deepcut in 1995 was far below the standard expected”.
Bored and without adequate supervision or training from their officers, the young recruits at the barracks turned to sex and drinking to occupy their time, he said. In a further apparent breach of army rules, Baker said non-commissioned officers (NCOs) meted out guard duty to trainees as punishment. One senior NCO had described Deepcut as the worst two and a half years of his time in the army, telling the inquest he felt little care was given to recruits.Bored and without adequate supervision or training from their officers, the young recruits at the barracks turned to sex and drinking to occupy their time, he said. In a further apparent breach of army rules, Baker said non-commissioned officers (NCOs) meted out guard duty to trainees as punishment. One senior NCO had described Deepcut as the worst two and a half years of his time in the army, telling the inquest he felt little care was given to recruits.
The mother of one of the other recruits who died at Deepcut said the new inquest into James’s death “opens the doors” for the families of other victims to find out what happened to their loved ones.The mother of one of the other recruits who died at Deepcut said the new inquest into James’s death “opens the doors” for the families of other victims to find out what happened to their loved ones.
Diane Gray, the mother of Pte Geoff Gray, said she would apply for the verdict on her own son’s death to be overturned. Gray was 17 when he was found dead from two gunshot wounds at the base in September 2001.Diane Gray, the mother of Pte Geoff Gray, said she would apply for the verdict on her own son’s death to be overturned. Gray was 17 when he was found dead from two gunshot wounds at the base in September 2001.
Ptes Sean Benton and James Collinson also died at Deepcut between 1995 and 2002.Ptes Sean Benton and James Collinson also died at Deepcut between 1995 and 2002.
Speaking outside Surrey coroner’s court in Woking, Gray said: “This case opens the doors for the other families to find out what happened to their children by having a new inquest. In the next few weeks we will be putting our application forward to the attorney general to ask him to overturn our original verdict and look into new evidence and hopefully give us a new inquest.”Speaking outside Surrey coroner’s court in Woking, Gray said: “This case opens the doors for the other families to find out what happened to their children by having a new inquest. In the next few weeks we will be putting our application forward to the attorney general to ask him to overturn our original verdict and look into new evidence and hopefully give us a new inquest.”
She said the inquest into James had been an “awful” experience, and she felt “so sorry” for the soldier’s parents. “We shouldn’t have had to go through this,” she said, “we should have known this from the very beginning, what happened to the children. We shouldn’t have to find out through ways like this.She said the inquest into James had been an “awful” experience, and she felt “so sorry” for the soldier’s parents. “We shouldn’t have had to go through this,” she said, “we should have known this from the very beginning, what happened to the children. We shouldn’t have to find out through ways like this.
“All we asked for was the truth of what happened in the very beginning, and that’s what we should have been told from the police, not to find out things like this when you get to court.”“All we asked for was the truth of what happened in the very beginning, and that’s what we should have been told from the police, not to find out things like this when you get to court.”