Deepcut sergeant denies bullying

Asergeantaccusedofbullying recruits at Deepcut barracks has denied physically abusing trainees, saying that when he aggressively gave orders his “twin brother” was doing the shouting.

The inquest into the death of Private Sean Benton has heard claims of bullying at the Surrey barracks, with allegations made against two instructors – Sergeant Andrew Gavaghan and Corporal Martin Holder.

On 9 June, 1995, Pte Benton was found with five bullets in his chest, shortly after he had been told he was to be discharged from the army.

Giving evidence at Woking Coroner’s Court, Mr Gavaghan said he first became aware of the 20-year-old at the start of that year when he saw him crying because a friend had left the camp.

The court heard that Sgt Gavaghan recognised him as a vulnerable recruit.

Sgt Gavaghan said hearing that he frightened some train- ees had “disturbed” him. However, Sgt Gavaghan said that when he got frustrated with how things were being run, when there was an influx of new recruits, he could shout and get aggressive.

He said: “The ‘twin brother’ happened very rarely and it was controlled and it was very much when the troop had a large influx of people, a lot of people changed around, and it happened when I had been away and I had come back and I noticed that standards had dropped.”