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| Deepcut inquest: armed and alone in an 'out of control' barracks | Deepcut inquest: armed and alone in an 'out of control' barracks |
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| An annual clean-up in the grounds of Surrey’s Deepcut army barracks, at around the time 18-year-old Pte Cheryl James died, recovered at least 800 used contraceptives. | An annual clean-up in the grounds of Surrey’s Deepcut army barracks, at around the time 18-year-old Pte Cheryl James died, recovered at least 800 used contraceptives. |
| That showed the highly sexualised, alcohol-fuelled and, it was alleged, toxic environment that James and other teenage recruits, most away from home for the first time, were plunged into. Though sexually mature, their emotional stability could not be taken for granted. | That showed the highly sexualised, alcohol-fuelled and, it was alleged, toxic environment that James and other teenage recruits, most away from home for the first time, were plunged into. Though sexually mature, their emotional stability could not be taken for granted. |
| But the army – acting in loco parentis – thrust a loaded rifle into James’s hands and dispatched her on lone armed guard duty, in direct contravention of its own regulations. | But the army – acting in loco parentis – thrust a loaded rifle into James’s hands and dispatched her on lone armed guard duty, in direct contravention of its own regulations. |
| The lacklustre investigation 20 years ago has made it impossible to demonstrate beyond doubt exactly how James died from a gunshot wound to the head while posted at the Royal Way gate on the morning of 27 November 1995. | The lacklustre investigation 20 years ago has made it impossible to demonstrate beyond doubt exactly how James died from a gunshot wound to the head while posted at the Royal Way gate on the morning of 27 November 1995. |
| Was it self-inflicted? Certainly the army offered any vulnerable recruit alone with a weapon the perfect opportunity for suicide. Basic policing failures doomed her family to wonder, until at a second inquest, the coroner ruled that she had killed herself. | |
| The body of the popular, “bubbly” teenager was found under a tree a short distance from the gate. Lying on her right side and wearing military camouflage, she was found with her beret at her feet, her SA80 rifle beside her, and a gunshot wound to the face. | The body of the popular, “bubbly” teenager was found under a tree a short distance from the gate. Lying on her right side and wearing military camouflage, she was found with her beret at her feet, her SA80 rifle beside her, and a gunshot wound to the face. |
| “She had such luxurious brown hair and it was so sad to see her lying there,” remembers paramedic Nigel Roberts. | “She had such luxurious brown hair and it was so sad to see her lying there,” remembers paramedic Nigel Roberts. |
| The post-cold war army in which James had enlisted six months earlier was restructuring and reducing its numbers. Recent key changes included both sexes and groups of under- and over-18s being trained together. | The post-cold war army in which James had enlisted six months earlier was restructuring and reducing its numbers. Recent key changes included both sexes and groups of under- and over-18s being trained together. |
| Staff shortages meant Deepcut’s ratio of corporals to trainees was 1:100, and at night up to 1:200. Supervision was lax. Though up to one third of the 500 trainees were women, there were just two female officers, both away at the time of James’s death. | Staff shortages meant Deepcut’s ratio of corporals to trainees was 1:100, and at night up to 1:200. Supervision was lax. Though up to one third of the 500 trainees were women, there were just two female officers, both away at the time of James’s death. |
| Alcohol flowed freely at the base, the inquest heard, even for 16- and 17-year-olds. Drunken parties in empty accommodation blocks were, it emerged, part of the camp’s social life. | Alcohol flowed freely at the base, the inquest heard, even for 16- and 17-year-olds. Drunken parties in empty accommodation blocks were, it emerged, part of the camp’s social life. |
| One informant described Deepcut as being run by the recruits and “out of control”, saying every evening was like “Glasgow or London on a Saturday night”. | One informant described Deepcut as being run by the recruits and “out of control”, saying every evening was like “Glasgow or London on a Saturday night”. |
| “[There was] a party atmosphere and alcohol,” the source said. “Sex would be everywhere.” | “[There was] a party atmosphere and alcohol,” the source said. “Sex would be everywhere.” |
| James – attractive, vivacious and up for a laugh – had many admirers, but was torn between two men: Jim Carr-Minns, a Royal Engineers recruit from a nearby base; and Paul Wilkinson, like James a Royal Logistical Corps trainee based at Deepcut. | James – attractive, vivacious and up for a laugh – had many admirers, but was torn between two men: Jim Carr-Minns, a Royal Engineers recruit from a nearby base; and Paul Wilkinson, like James a Royal Logistical Corps trainee based at Deepcut. |
| James was trying to choose between them at the time, the inquest heard. Shortly before her death she had argued with Wilkinson, who had visited her while she was on guard duty at the gate that morning. She had rowed with friends, too, who had urged her to choose. | James was trying to choose between them at the time, the inquest heard. Shortly before her death she had argued with Wilkinson, who had visited her while she was on guard duty at the gate that morning. She had rowed with friends, too, who had urged her to choose. |
| Those in positions of responsibility abused their power, the inquest heard. Sexual relations between recruits and training staff, who saw the female trainees as a sexual challenge, was a “consistent and persistent” feature at Deepcut, according to one review. Sex was “a passport for getting off duties, getting a long weekend home”, one female private confided. | Those in positions of responsibility abused their power, the inquest heard. Sexual relations between recruits and training staff, who saw the female trainees as a sexual challenge, was a “consistent and persistent” feature at Deepcut, according to one review. Sex was “a passport for getting off duties, getting a long weekend home”, one female private confided. |
| James had been chased round a locked room by a sergeant who “tried to have his way with her” while on a driving course away from Deepcut, leaving her “visibly upset and shaken”, according to fellow trainee Jane Worboys. The incident was not reported. “We didn’t know who to report it to,” Worboys said. “There was no one approachable.” | James had been chased round a locked room by a sergeant who “tried to have his way with her” while on a driving course away from Deepcut, leaving her “visibly upset and shaken”, according to fellow trainee Jane Worboys. The incident was not reported. “We didn’t know who to report it to,” Worboys said. “There was no one approachable.” |
| Another former soldier alleged James had been ordered to have sex with another recruit, but that was strenuously denied at the inquest. | Another former soldier alleged James had been ordered to have sex with another recruit, but that was strenuously denied at the inquest. |
| The scale of bullying and inappropriate sexual behaviour at Deepcut is borne out by allegations later made to Surrey police. By 1995, there had been 80 allegations, including that a senior officer indecently assaulted a female trainee, that a female recruit was made to run naked as a punishment, that two female trainees were indecently assaulted while babysitting for a senior officer, while one woman claimed she had sex with an officer because she was too frightened to refuse. | The scale of bullying and inappropriate sexual behaviour at Deepcut is borne out by allegations later made to Surrey police. By 1995, there had been 80 allegations, including that a senior officer indecently assaulted a female trainee, that a female recruit was made to run naked as a punishment, that two female trainees were indecently assaulted while babysitting for a senior officer, while one woman claimed she had sex with an officer because she was too frightened to refuse. |
| A further 38 allegations made between 2001 and 2002 included two of rape. Informal and unrecorded punishments were doled out by troop sergeants, including extra guard duties, it was claimed. | A further 38 allegations made between 2001 and 2002 included two of rape. Informal and unrecorded punishments were doled out by troop sergeants, including extra guard duties, it was claimed. |
| Given the dossier of evidence and allegations, Brig John Donnelly, the army’s head of personal services, agreed at the inquest that the atmosphere at Deepcut was “highly sexualised” and that sexual activity was “part of the core of every day life, almost”. | Given the dossier of evidence and allegations, Brig John Donnelly, the army’s head of personal services, agreed at the inquest that the atmosphere at Deepcut was “highly sexualised” and that sexual activity was “part of the core of every day life, almost”. |
| The MoD has since acknowledged that there was no effective channel for complaints against instructors, and the system for raising concerns about bullying was “of limited effectiveness”. As Donnelly conceded, the army “did not have the structures in place to provide proper duty of care”. | The MoD has since acknowledged that there was no effective channel for complaints against instructors, and the system for raising concerns about bullying was “of limited effectiveness”. As Donnelly conceded, the army “did not have the structures in place to provide proper duty of care”. |
| Some felt James was picked on, perhaps for not reciprocating the advances of officers. “She didn’t care about the army, and I don’t think she felt the army cared about her,” her friend and former trainee Helen Miller told the inquest. She told others she wanted to go Awol. | Some felt James was picked on, perhaps for not reciprocating the advances of officers. “She didn’t care about the army, and I don’t think she felt the army cared about her,” her friend and former trainee Helen Miller told the inquest. She told others she wanted to go Awol. |
| Boredom among phase-two recruits, who had completed training but were given menial tasks and guard duty while waiting for a posting, fostered low morale. “I remember having to sweep up leaves and other irrelevant tasks,” former trainee Nicola Clifford recalled. | Boredom among phase-two recruits, who had completed training but were given menial tasks and guard duty while waiting for a posting, fostered low morale. “I remember having to sweep up leaves and other irrelevant tasks,” former trainee Nicola Clifford recalled. |
| It is legitimate to question how this environment might have contributed to the death of a teenage girl with a tangled private life, who was posted on lone guard duty with a weapon after having had just four hours’ sleep due to a party the previous night. | It is legitimate to question how this environment might have contributed to the death of a teenage girl with a tangled private life, who was posted on lone guard duty with a weapon after having had just four hours’ sleep due to a party the previous night. |
| The fact James’s death was classified as sudden meant that Surrey police officers were given the lead role in the investigation. It was also the second such death in five months at the barracks; Pte Sean Benton, 20, died from five gunshot wounds in June 1995. | The fact James’s death was classified as sudden meant that Surrey police officers were given the lead role in the investigation. It was also the second such death in five months at the barracks; Pte Sean Benton, 20, died from five gunshot wounds in June 1995. |
| However, the early assumption that James had taken her own life meant the investigation was instead handed to the military’s special investigation branch. | However, the early assumption that James had taken her own life meant the investigation was instead handed to the military’s special investigation branch. |
| The scene was not protected, no ballistics tests were conducted – which could have established the distance from which James was shot – and her rifle was back in service within months. No tests were conducted on black marks, seen in photographs, or to establish the presence of gun residue, dirt or bruising. Police were also criticised for failing to follow up any potential suspects. | The scene was not protected, no ballistics tests were conducted – which could have established the distance from which James was shot – and her rifle was back in service within months. No tests were conducted on black marks, seen in photographs, or to establish the presence of gun residue, dirt or bruising. Police were also criticised for failing to follow up any potential suspects. |
| It was not until 2002 – seven years after James died, and after two further deaths by gunshot of young recruits at Deepcut – that Surrey police reinvestigated. By then, however, the lack of of forensic evidence, even after James’s body was exhumed in 2015, had made it impossible to determine beyond doubt if she had pulled the trigger herself. The coroner’s ruling on Friday dispelled that doubt. | It was not until 2002 – seven years after James died, and after two further deaths by gunshot of young recruits at Deepcut – that Surrey police reinvestigated. By then, however, the lack of of forensic evidence, even after James’s body was exhumed in 2015, had made it impossible to determine beyond doubt if she had pulled the trigger herself. The coroner’s ruling on Friday dispelled that doubt. |