Sandhurst cadet took her own life after alleged affair
A SANDHURST cadet took her own life after allegedly having an affair with an instructor, as two senior soldiers are investigated.
Olivia Perks, 21, was found dead in her bedroom in February 2019, days after spending the night with a colour sergeant following a formal dinner, it is claimed.
The Officer Cadet, from Kingswinford in the West Midlands, is also alleged to have been romantically linked to a staff sergeant.
The two senior soldiers are accused of breaching Sandhurst rules, which forbid personal relationships with officer cadets, and have been investigated by Army commanders.
A Berkshire coroner has also named both instructors as “interested parties” ahead of the inquest, which is due to be held in May next year.
Miss Perks is believed to be the only female officer cadet to take her own life
in Sandhurst’s history. At the time of her death, she was on the military academy’s “suicide vulnerability risk matrix”, which is likely to prompt questions about whether there was any failure to safeguard her.
The morning after she allegedly spent the night with the colour sergeant, she was reportedly still wearing her evening dress when she crossed through the parade ground where her colleagues were gathered.
A Sandhurst source told the Daily Mail that Miss Perks later told people “how horrible it was”.
“The instructors demanded to know where she’d been,” the source said. “Olivia was in trouble for missing the parade but the commanders were much more angry with the colour sergeant.
“It was very stressful, particularly as she was convinced she was going to be dismissed from Sandhurst, which wasn’t the case.”
An Army spokesman said: “A Royal Military Police investigation has concluded and the matter has been referred to the Service Prosecution Authority. It would be inappropriate to comment further.”