Tri-Service

Ministry of Defence Misses Crucial Deepcut Inquest Deadline

The Ministry of Defence has failed to submit crucial documents before a promised deadline in the case of a young solider who died at Deepcut Barracks, a court has heard.

The news comes barely a fortnight after the parents of Cheryl James spoke exclusively to Forces TV making an emotional appeal for fresh witnesses to come forward.

Private Cheryl James was found with a bullet wound to her head in November 1995, when she was undergoing initial training as an 18-year-old at the Surrey barracks.

She was one of four soldiers who died at the barracks between 1995 and 2002 amid claims of bullying and abuse.

Privates Sean Benton, James Collinson and Geoff Gray also died from gunshot wounds.

A fresh inquest was ordered into Pte James's death after High Court judges quashed an open verdict recorded in December 1995.

At a pre-inquest review at Woking Coroner's Court, the father of Pte James, Des James, said he was "disappointed" by the failure of the MoD to supply the documents by the agreed deadline.

Nicholas Moss, representing the MoD, said the sheer volume of the files that were being searched meant much time was taken up deciding which documents were and were not relevant for the inquest, which begins at 2pm on February 1 2016.

He promised all of the relevant documents would be delivered by January 11.

Pte James's body was exhumed in August and a post-mortem examination was carried out by two experts. "Metallic fragments" were recovered which have been analysed by a ballistics expert, but that report is still to be finalised.

The full inquest on February 1, which is expected to last seven weeks, will consider whether a third party was involved in Pte James's death and what happened on the evening before she died.

It will also address whether there were "shortcomings" with barrack policies on sexual behaviour, supervision of young females, drugs, alcohol and accommodation.