Deepcut: it may not have been suicide
Inquest told that forensic evidence suggests Pte Cheryl James might not have taken her own life
A new inquest into the death of Pte Cheryl James, found shot dead at Deepcut Army barracks in November 1995, has learnt that the 18-year-old might not have taken her own life. Fresh evidence suggests there may have been ‘third-party involvement’.
NEW forensic evidence suggests a teenage female soldier found shot dead at an Army barracks more than 20 years ago may not have killed herself, an inquest has heard.
Lawyers for Pte Cheryl James’s family told the opening day of evidence at Woking Coroner’s Court that “important” pathological evidence had to be considered.
Pte James was the second of four young recruits found dead at the Deepcut Royal Logistic Corps base, in Surrey, between 1995 and 2002 amid allegations of bullying, violence and sexual exploitation.
The 18-year-old, from Llangollen, North Wales, had recently finished initial training when she was found dead with a single bullet wound between her nose and eye on Nov 27 1995.
Alison Foster QC said: “Now there is distinguished pathological evidence showing that the shot that killed Cheryl James may not have been selfinflicted.
“Third party involvement is more than merely speculative, according to this inquest’s own pathologist.
“It’s important such evidence is fully acquired and assimilated.”
She said previous evidence had suggested Pte James was “happy and bubbly” before the shooting.
But John Beggs QC, counsel for Surrey Police, said any suggestion that a third party was involved in the shooting was “speculative in the extreme”.
Evidence that Pte James was a “troubled young lady” who may have had suicidal ideas had only got stronger since the 2006 Blake review into the Deepcut deaths, he said.
The review heard that she had discussed the case of Pte Sean Benton, who was the first recruit to die at Deepcut.
“Other information has come to light that she mentioned shooting herself around this time,” said Mr Beggs.
He added that there was a “complete absence of evidence of any sort” other than that pointing to “self-harm”.
The inquest, scheduled to last seven weeks and to hear from more than 100 witnesses, comes after the High Court quashed an open verdict recorded in December 1995 following an inquest lasting less than an hour.
Coroner Brian Barker QC has said he will not consider claims of a “wider culture of sexual abuse” at Deepcut because he is not conducting a public inquiry.
The investigation will look at the events leading up to Pte James’s death and her frame of mind, as well as allegations that she may have been ordered to sleep with another sol
dier. Des James, Ms James’s father, said: “I would like a thorough inquest, a thorough investigation, that takes a look at the forensic evidence that was missed or not checked.
“As long as, at the end of the inquest, I’m able to feel confident everything that could be done has been done, I would be satisfied.”
He said his daughter had been a happy and compassionate child who be- came upset whenever she saw cruelty. She grew into a typical teenager who wanted independence and space, but was deeply affected by the suicide of her 18-year-old cousin Rob, when she was 15, and her behaviour became more tur- bulent. Privates Sean Benton, 20, James Collinson, 17, and Geoff Gray, 17, also died from gunshot wounds at the barracks between 1995 and 2002.
The inquest is to continue today.
‘Third party involvement is more than speculative, according to this inquest’s own pathologist’