Why no action on my son’s Deepcut death after cop admits affair?
Dad’s anger as detective keeps her job despite fling with a key witness
THE father of a recruit who died at Deepcut barracks is furious that a detective will keep her job despite telling an inquest she had an affair with a key witness.
Det Con Jamie Keech said she had sex a number of times with Warrant Officer Craig Filmer – one of the last to see Private Geoff Gray, 17, alive.
The young soldier was found with two gunshot wounds to the head after guard duties at the notorious Surrey training centre, which was accused of having a culture of bullying.
DC Keech questioned WO Filmer but kept the affair secret for 17 years until a second inquest into Pte Gray’s death.
Now a Surrey Police review has ruled her misconduct can be dealt with internally. Pte Gray’s dad, also Geoff, said: “I didn’t have any faith in Surrey Police to start with but when DC Keech admitted having sex on a number of occasions with a key witness you wonder what is going on.
“She kept that secret for 17 years. And police have said she shouldn’t be disciplined. It’s a disgrace. She should be sacked or do the decent thing and resign. She has got off very lightly.” Dur ing evidence at the second inquest, in May, DC Keech said she and WO Filmer met a number of times and had sex.
WO Filmer, then a corporal, was in charge of the Deepcut camp guard on the night Pte Gray died.
The WO, who had led a search for the teenager, denies the relationship with DC Keech was sexual.
But she told the inquest she arranged to meet him in a pub after they became “mutually attracted” to each other.
During the hearing, John Cooper QC, for the Gray family, said to DC Keech: “A relatively experienced officer, in her 30s, has interviewed a significant witness and you have a sexual relationship with him without informing your colleagues. On all levels that’s appalling professional conduct.”
DC Keech replied: “I agree it shouldn’t have happened.”
Although WO Filmer admitted going for a drink, he denied the sex allegation and said in evidence that she must have confused him with someone else. DC Keech denied his claim.
Surrey Police said: “The circumstances surrounding the officer’s conduct have now been fully reviewed. This review has determined that their actions do amount to a misconduct.
“It concluded this could be dealt with appropriately through management action with the officer involved.”
Pte Gray was among four soldiers found dead from gunshot wounds at the Princess Royal barracks between 1995 and 2002. The coroner ruled the cause of his death was suicide.
DC should resign. She kept sex a secret for 17 years... GEOFF GRAY FATHER OF GUNSHOT DEATH ROOKIE