CRIMINAL

Family to call for police probe as Deepcut coroner attacks ‘toxic’ bullying culture at suicide barracks

A JUDGE has lashed out at the Army over its treatment of a young Deepcut recruit before he killed himself with a machine gun 23 years ago.

Private Sean Benton, 20, shot himself in the chest with two bursts of gunfire after being told he was to be thrown out of the service.

In a damning five-hour summary Coroner Peter Rook, QC, said he believed Pte Benton had been repeatedly beaten up in the Army and his mental state had been ignored.

Closing a second inquest into Sean’s death that began in January, he ruled the recruit had been physically and mentally bullied in a “toxic culture” at the Surrey barracks. Sean’s sister Tracy Lewis and twin Tony will now ask police to open a criminal investigation.

Judge Rook said he believed Sean’s mental state was in decline when he pleaded to go on guard duty, giving him access to an SA80 rifle.

He said it “seemed likely” Sean had used the opportunity to access a weapon, and ruled he had killed himself, since his five bullet wounds were self-inflicted and he left suicide notes.

The inquest heard how ex-labourer Sean, from Hastings, East Sussex, had sworn drunkenly at an officer and threatened to shoot a female NCO for putting him on weekend guard duty.

She had later admitted she did not take the threat seriously.

But the court in Woking was also told how a group in gas masks had attacked Sean as his state worsened.

And a week before his death in June 1995, a Sgt Andrew Gavaghan had kicked the soldier as he did press-ups.

Blasting “unchecked and unmanaged” punishments at the Royal Logistics Corps HQ, Judge Rook said: “There was a toxic culture at Deepcut… Sean was frequently the recipient of its actions.”

He said NCOS were not trained to deal with recruits’ welfare, adding: “What he needed was support, what he received was NCOS complaining about his appearance.

“It is clear the existence of a separate welfare officer may have prevented this.”

The coroner also slammed a “woeful” Surrey police investigation into Sean’s death, which did not begin until seven years later.

Three more soldiers – Privates Cheryl James, 18, Geoff Gray, 17, and James Collinson, 17 – also died of gunshot wounds at the base between 1995 and 2002 amid claims of abuse.

VICTIM OF BULLIES Pte Benton took his own life LATER DEATHS James Collinson, Cheryl James and Geoff Gray FINDINGS Judge Rook TOXIC CULTURE The base at Deepcut in Surrey HEARTACHE Sean’s twin Tony and sister Tracy