Army
Deepcut: 'Habitual Liar' Mark Corbett 'Ashamed' By Actions
A former member of the Regimental Police has been called an 'habitual liar' by a lawyer for the Ministry of Defence (MOD) during the inquest in to the death of Private Cheryl James. Mark Corbett was late for duty and hungover the morning she was found shot dead at Deepcut.
The court heard he has changed his story at least three times and he admitted lying to the coroner today. Kaija Larke has the latest from Woking Coroners Court (above).
The man who led the investigation into the death of Pte Cheryl James at Deepcut Barracks 20 years ago has also given evidence to her inquest.
Michael Harrison told the coroner that the decision to declare the recruit's death not suspicious was made only an hour or two afterwards, admitting he should have conducted a more thorough investigation.
Location where Pte Cheryl James' body was discovered (CREDIT: MOD POLICE)
Richard Simonds, a former major at Deepcut, described seeing Pte James's body "lying in the woods" near the gate she had been posted to guard.
"I could see someone lying in camouflage clothing in the woods. I said 'is she dead?' They said they didn't know."
"It was a female lying in foetal position with knees drawn up, lying on her right hand side and there was a weapon lying very close to her.
"There was some blood around her head and a bullet wound to her forehead."
Deepcut Barracks (CREDIT: MOD POLICE)
He told the inquest he checked for a pulse but there was "nothing at all". He added:
"She was fully clothed and there was no sign of anyone trying to move her or cover her body, she was just lying there."
Catherine Smith, a former nurse at Deepcut, said she thought the rifle lying beside the body "looked like it had been placed there".
In a statement read at the inquest she said:
"I could see the girl was dead as there was a large wound to her head and what appeared to be grey matter. A rifle was lying next to the body."
"The rifle was lying neatly alongside her body, it looked to me like it had been placed there, such was its position."
Map of scene of shooting at Deepcut (CREDIT: SURREY POLICE)
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 will continue on Wednesday at 10am.
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