Cheryl James: Deepcut soldier was not unlawfully killed, inquest rules

Inquest: Cheryl James died from a gunshot wound
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Hannah Al-Othman3 June 2016

Deepcut army barracks failed in its duty of care to young recruits, a coroner has found.

Brian Barker QC made his remarks at an inquest into the death of young soldier Pte Cheryl James, 18, who was found dead with a bullet wound to the head in 1995.

She was one of four young recruits to die at the Army training camp over seven years.

A fresh inquest was ordered into her death after High Court judges quashed an open verdict recorded in December 1995.The coroner also said there was a "sexualised" atmosphere at the Surrey barracks.

However, he said an allegation that Pte James was forced to have sex the night before her death was "wholly without foundation".

Sexualised atmosphere: Deepcut Barracks in Surrey 
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Another soldier told the inquest Pte James was coerced into having sex with a colleague the night before she died.

However, the coroner dismissed the claim as "at highest assumption, at its lowest was fantasy".

Recording a narrative verdict, Mr Barker said there were not enough officers at Deepcut to train and look after the young recruits, who were bored and undisciplined as a result and turned to sex and alcohol.

The coroner added that it was "unsurprising that trainees turned to each other for stimulation".

Coroner: Brian Barker QC 
Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images

He said: "While some intermittent training was provided, there were too few permanent staff to deliver it and put into place a structured regime to occupy and meet a duty of care to those young men and women."

The inquest heard that while sexual relations were not prohibited between squaddies, there was evidence of inappropriate sexual relationships between commanding officers or instructors and trainees.

Mr Barker said the Army accepted that some instructors "saw young females as a sexual challenge".

 Tragic: Private James Collinson, 17, from Perth, Private Sean Benton from Hastings, East Sussex and Private Geoff Gray, 17, from Hackney, east London, who all died at Deepcut army barracks in Surrey 
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Described as "vivacious and bubbly", the inquest heard Pte James was caught in a love triangle with two men at the time of her death.

The hearing was also told she had mixed feelings about being in the Army and often spoke with friends and other recruits about being unhappy and wanting to leave.

Shortly before her death, she spoke about shooting herself - but her friends thought this was just "banter", the inquest heard.

Coroner Brian Barker QC ruled her death was caused by a "self-inflicted" wound at the inquest at Woking Coroner's Court.

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