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Cheryl James died from 'self-inflicted shot', Deepcut inquest rules Cheryl James died from 'self-inflicted shot', Deepcut inquest rules
(35 minutes later)
Pte Cheryl James died as a result of an intentional “self-inflicted shot” while on guard duty at Deepcut barracks, a coroner has ruled.Pte Cheryl James died as a result of an intentional “self-inflicted shot” while on guard duty at Deepcut barracks, a coroner has ruled.
The young female recruit, 18, died from a gunshot wound to the head at the Surrey base in November 1995 – one of four recruits who died there over seven years.The young female recruit, 18, died from a gunshot wound to the head at the Surrey base in November 1995 – one of four recruits who died there over seven years.
Delivering his conclusion after a three-month inquest into her death, the coroner, Brian Barker QC, said: “The conclusion is self-infliction.” Delivering his conclusion after a three-month inquest into her death, the coroner, Brian Barker QC, said: “The conclusion is self-infliction.” He added: “This was an intentional discharge by Ms James.”
He added: “This was an intentional discharge by Ms James.” In his ruling he said there was no evidence that James was unlawfully killed. In his ruling Barker said there was no evidence that James was unlawfully killed. He did, however, find that the army base in Surrey had failed in its duty of care to its young recruits.
The coroner did, however, find that the army base in Surrey had failed in its duty of care to its young recruits.
James, 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, 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.
Related: Deepcut inquest: armed and alone in an 'out of control' barracksRelated: Deepcut inquest: armed and alone in an 'out of control' barracks
A second inquest into her death, which was launched after the high court quashed the first, concluded at Woking coroner’s court on Friday, after hearing evidence that life at the barracks was highly sexualised, often alcohol-fuelled and “toxic”.A second inquest into her death, which was launched after the high court quashed the first, concluded at Woking coroner’s court on Friday, after hearing evidence that life at the barracks was highly sexualised, often alcohol-fuelled and “toxic”.
But Barker said on Friday: “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.”But Barker said on Friday: “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.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.
After years of campaigning, supported by the human rights organisation Liberty, James’s family succeeded at the high court in having the original verdict dismissed and a fresh inquest ordered. The second inquest lasted three months and heard from 109 witnesses.After years of campaigning, supported by the human rights organisation Liberty, James’s family succeeded at the high court in having the original verdict dismissed and a fresh inquest ordered. The second inquest lasted three months and heard from 109 witnesses.
Related: Cheryl James: teacher recalled 'mixed-up kid' with 'deep-seated problems'Related: Cheryl James: teacher recalled 'mixed-up kid' with 'deep-seated problems'
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 teenage female 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 teenage female 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 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 into the four deaths, the Blake review in 2006, 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 into the four deaths, the Blake review in 2006, 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, Barker 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, Barker 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 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. “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.”
Related: Deepcut: 20-year journey to seek truth behind Cheryl James deathRelated: Deepcut: 20-year journey to seek truth behind Cheryl James death
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 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”.
Barker 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”. Barker said: “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 “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, Barker 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, Barker 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. 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.
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. Speaking outside the coroner’s court, 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.”
Ptes Sean Benton and James Collinson also died at Deepcut between 1995 and 2002. 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.
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.” “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.”
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.”