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| Army chief hints at Deepcut public inquiry | Army chief hints at Deepcut public inquiry |
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| A public inquiry could be held into the care of soldiers at Deepcut barracks if it is the best way of getting to the truth, the head of the army has said. | A public inquiry could be held into the care of soldiers at Deepcut barracks if it is the best way of getting to the truth, the head of the army has said. |
| Gen Sir Nick Carter said a public inquiry should be considered following the inquest that found teenage soldier Pte Cheryl James killed herself at the barracks in 1995. | Gen Sir Nick Carter said a public inquiry should be considered following the inquest that found teenage soldier Pte Cheryl James killed herself at the barracks in 1995. |
| Asked if that should be through a public inquiry, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If that’s the best method of getting to the heart of the matter then I guess that should be the way that we go.” | Asked if that should be through a public inquiry, he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If that’s the best method of getting to the heart of the matter then I guess that should be the way that we go.” |
| James’s father, Des James, led calls for a public inquiry into the culture at Deepcut, calling the barracks a “toxic and horrible environment for a young woman and we have no doubt that this would have had a terrible impact on those that were required to live in it”. | James’s father, Des James, led calls for a public inquiry into the culture at Deepcut, calling the barracks a “toxic and horrible environment for a young woman and we have no doubt that this would have had a terrible impact on those that were required to live in it”. |
| He said he believed his daughter would still be alive if she had not been sent to Deepcut. Speaking after a coroner found there was no evidence of unlawful killing in James’s death, her father said he believed the evidence led to a different conclusion. | |
| Related: Cheryl James died from 'self-inflicted shot', Deepcut inquest rules | Related: Cheryl James died from 'self-inflicted shot', Deepcut inquest rules |
| Gen Lord Dannatt, a former chief of the general staff, also called for a public inquiry into the culture of bullying and intimidation at the barracks on BBC Newsnight on Friday “Yes there should be a public inquiry. I think that’s the only practical and reasonable response to this because I think people have a right to know,” he said. | Gen Lord Dannatt, a former chief of the general staff, also called for a public inquiry into the culture of bullying and intimidation at the barracks on BBC Newsnight on Friday “Yes there should be a public inquiry. I think that’s the only practical and reasonable response to this because I think people have a right to know,” he said. |
| “But I would stress again that if there are individuals who went through training at Deepcut or indeed elsewhere and believe that they suffered bullying or sexual harassment, that’s not been investigated, they should complain. If they’re still serving, to the service police or to the civilian police.” | “But I would stress again that if there are individuals who went through training at Deepcut or indeed elsewhere and believe that they suffered bullying or sexual harassment, that’s not been investigated, they should complain. If they’re still serving, to the service police or to the civilian police.” |
| Carter apologised to James’s parents in an article in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, saying the army had failed in its duty of care. | Carter apologised to James’s parents in an article in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday, saying the army had failed in its duty of care. |
| “As the head of the army, but also as a father, I deeply regret Cheryl’s tragic death and I want to apologise unreservedly to Mr and Mrs James for the duty of care failings at Deepcut barracks.” He said the army had been taught some hard lessons and would be “sure to learn from the recommendations made in the coroner’s conclusions”. | “As the head of the army, but also as a father, I deeply regret Cheryl’s tragic death and I want to apologise unreservedly to Mr and Mrs James for the duty of care failings at Deepcut barracks.” He said the army had been taught some hard lessons and would be “sure to learn from the recommendations made in the coroner’s conclusions”. |
| More than 100 witnesses appeared before coroner Brian Barker QC at the inquest, who ruled the 18-year-old died from an intentionally “self-inflicted shot” from her rifle, one of four recruits who died there over seven years. The inquest heard heavy drinking was commonplace at the training camp, where some instructors and officers “saw young females as a sexual challenge”. | More than 100 witnesses appeared before coroner Brian Barker QC at the inquest, who ruled the 18-year-old died from an intentionally “self-inflicted shot” from her rifle, one of four recruits who died there over seven years. The inquest heard heavy drinking was commonplace at the training camp, where some instructors and officers “saw young females as a sexual challenge”. |
| Barker did conclude however that despite James’s wish to leave the army, there was “no basis to establish that Ms James’ disillusionment with the army or any dislike of the Deepcut regime was, on the balance of probabilities, such as to cause her to wish to die”. | Barker did conclude however that despite James’s wish to leave the army, there was “no basis to establish that Ms James’ disillusionment with the army or any dislike of the Deepcut regime was, on the balance of probabilities, such as to cause her to wish to die”. |
| Formally recording a verdict of suicide at the inquest, Barker said: “I’m satisfied so that I’m sure Ms James inflicted the fatal shot and intended to die.” | Formally recording a verdict of suicide at the inquest, Barker said: “I’m satisfied so that I’m sure Ms James inflicted the fatal shot and intended to die.” |
| After the verdict was recorded, the army’s head of personal services, Brigadier John Donnelly, said the military was “truly sorry for the low levels of supervision that we provided for the trainees at Deepcut in 1995, and for the policies that were applied to using trainees for guard duties, and that we took too long to recognise and rectify the situation.” | After the verdict was recorded, the army’s head of personal services, Brigadier John Donnelly, said the military was “truly sorry for the low levels of supervision that we provided for the trainees at Deepcut in 1995, and for the policies that were applied to using trainees for guard duties, and that we took too long to recognise and rectify the situation.” |