'Whole System Let Private Sean Benton Down', Says Sister

A soldier who committed suicide at Deepcut Barracks was let down by the Army and the "whole system", according to his sister.

Private Sean Benton's death in 1995 was caused by "self-inflicted" gunshot wounds to the chest and has been formally recorded as a suicide after an inquest into his death was summed up yesterday.

Speaking to Forces News after the inquest, Pte Benton's sister Tracey Lewis said the "whole system" had let her brother down. She said:

"I think the whole system let him down, the way they didn't support him...the welfare system....he was bullied, humiliated, he had nowhere to go there was no support system there so all those young recruits that went in, there was just nothing for them.

"They let him down badly."

Pte Benton was found with five bullets in his chest at the Surrey base in June 1995, shortly after he had been told he was to be discharged from the military.

Coroner Peter Rook QC said "there was ample evidence available to those at Deepcut that Sean was vulnerable".

Pte Benton was the first of four soldiers to have died at Deepcut Barracks between 1995 and 2002 amid claims of bullying and abuse.

When asked if she felt the Army had changed in the 23 years since Pte Benton's death, Mrs Lewis said: "No, I don't think they've changed.

"The only one thing that has changed and I suppose that is the one good thing to come out of it [the inquest] that if any young soldier is bullied, beaten up in any way, they can now go to civilian police and not rely on military police.

"If they feel they're not getting anywhere they can take that incident out of the barracks and go to civilian police and get support."

Mrs Lewis described Pte Benton as "bubbly" and someone who was "fun to be around" with a "wicked sense of humour".

Following the summing up of the inquest, Ms Lewis said in a statement that her family would be asking the police to open a criminal investigation.

Brigadier Christopher Coles, Head of Army Personnel Support Group told reporters that "the Army deeply regrets" Private Benton's death and that there were "significant shortcomings" at Deepcut Barracks at the time.

Pte Benton's death was originally recorded as suicide but his family campaigned for a full investigation following allegations he suffered prolonged physical and psychological bullying.