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Deepcut: Family of Pte Geoff Gray win case for fresh inquest | Deepcut: Family of Pte Geoff Gray win case for fresh inquest |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The family of a young soldier who died at the Deepcut army barracks 16 years ago have won a High Court action for a fresh inquest. | The family of a young soldier who died at the Deepcut army barracks 16 years ago have won a High Court action for a fresh inquest. |
Pte Geoff Gray, 17, from Seaham, County Durham, was found with two gunshot wounds to his head in 2001. | Pte Geoff Gray, 17, from Seaham, County Durham, was found with two gunshot wounds to his head in 2001. |
The Army said he killed himself but an inquest in 2002 gave an open verdict. | |
On Tuesday, three judges sitting at the High Court ruled it was "necessary or desirable in the interests of justice" for a fresh inquest to be held. | On Tuesday, three judges sitting at the High Court ruled it was "necessary or desirable in the interests of justice" for a fresh inquest to be held. |
Lord Justice Bean, Mrs Justice Carr and Judge Mark Lucraft ordered the inquest in 2002 should be quashed with its verdict and findings. | |
Lord Justice Bean said the scope of the new inquest "and the issue of whether the coroner should, or should not, sit with a jury, should be a matter for the coroner". | Lord Justice Bean said the scope of the new inquest "and the issue of whether the coroner should, or should not, sit with a jury, should be a matter for the coroner". |
'Time for truth' | |
After the hearing, Pte Gray's mother, Diane Gray welcomed the ruling she said the family had "been waiting on for so long". | |
She said: "Our son died in Deepcut in 2001 and there was at best a cursory inquest in 2002. | |
"This time we hope there will be a full and meaningful inquest into his death. | |
"He was 17 years old and died serving his country. It's time his country served him and the truth be told." | |
Live: More news from across the South East | |
Lord Justice Bean said the coroner had taken no active part in the application. | |
He added that correspondence had indicated the Ministry of Defence "do not wish to contest an order for a fresh inquest". | |
He said three possible grounds had been put forward for a fresh hearing, which were insufficiency of inquiry, procedural irregularity and "the fact that a substantial volume of new evidence has become available". | |
Pte Gray's family won the right to apply to the High Court for a fresh inquest after Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC agreed new evidence had come to light. | Pte Gray's family won the right to apply to the High Court for a fresh inquest after Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC agreed new evidence had come to light. |
The ruling comes after a judge gave the go-ahead for a fresh inquest into the death of Pte Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings in East Sussex. | The ruling comes after a judge gave the go-ahead for a fresh inquest into the death of Pte Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings in East Sussex. |
He was found with five bullet wounds to his chest at the Surrey barracks in 1995. | He was found with five bullet wounds to his chest at the Surrey barracks in 1995. |
His inquest is due to take place at Surrey Coroner's Court, in Woking, next year. | |
Pte Benton was the first of four soldiers to die of gunshot wounds at the barracks between 1995 and 2002. | |
Pte Cheryl James, 18, from Llangollen, North Wales, shot herself in November 1995, according to a second inquest into her death which concluded in June last year. | Pte Cheryl James, 18, from Llangollen, North Wales, shot herself in November 1995, according to a second inquest into her death which concluded in June last year. |
Following Pte Gray's death in 2001, Pte James Collinson, 17, from Perth in Scotland, was found dead with a single gunshot wound to the head on 23 March 2002. | Following Pte Gray's death in 2001, Pte James Collinson, 17, from Perth in Scotland, was found dead with a single gunshot wound to the head on 23 March 2002. |