Tri-Service

Family Of Soldier Who Died At Deepcut Could Be Granted Fresh Inquest

The family of a soldier who died at Deepcut barracks could be granted a fresh inquest into his death.

Private Sean Benton died from gunshot wounds at the base in 1995 - five months before the death of Pte Cheryl James at the same barracks.

His family now have been granted permission to appeal for a fresh inquest.

The Human Rights charity Liberty is supporting the Benton family. Emma Norton, a legal officer from Liberty, spoke to Forces TV:

Pte Sean Benton was the first of four young soldiers to die at Deepcut Barracks over a 7 year period.

On the 9th June 1995, the 20 year old suffered five gunshot wounds to the chest while on guard along the perimeter fence.

The inquest into his death recorded a verdict of suicide.

A criminal investigation carried out seven years later by Surrey Police found no evidence of any third party involvement but his family have never accepted the coroner's ruling.

They believe he was subjected to severe bullying at the barracks and suffered a campaign of victimisation.

They’ve appealed to have the inquest quashed and have now been granted permission to apply to the High Court for a new hearing.

It’s taken the family a long time to get to this stage. They spent three years pressing Surrey Police to release all the evidence they had surrounding his death. His mother Linda passed away last year – so now his twin brother and sister are leading the appeal.

The news comes just weeks after the second inquest into the death of Pte Cheryl James at Deepcut. Cheryl died five months after Sean – the coroner concluding this time it was suicide from an intentionally ‘self-inflicted shot’.

Her second inquest cast a scathing light on the environment in the camp at the time and strongly criticised the Army for a failure of duty to care.

The MoD says if the High Court agree to a new inquest it will fully support the work of the coroner, adding that it didn't oppose the application to the Attorney General for a fresh inquest into Pte Benton's death.

Pte Benton's family say they are committed to pursuing the truth. They say they have been overwhelmed and disturbed by the details that have come to light so far.