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| Young Army recruit 'was murdered' | Young Army recruit 'was murdered' |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| The family of a young soldier who died at the Deepcut barracks in Surrey has said a fresh Army report indicates he was shot by somebody else. | The family of a young soldier who died at the Deepcut barracks in Surrey has said a fresh Army report indicates he was shot by somebody else. |
| Geoff and Diane Gray, of Hackney, London, parents of Private Geoff Gray, said they believe he was murdered. | Geoff and Diane Gray, of Hackney, London, parents of Private Geoff Gray, said they believe he was murdered. |
| Recruit Pte Gray was found dead at the base in September 2001 from two gunshot wounds to his head. | |
| His parents said the Board of Inquiry report could lead to a fresh inquest and have called for a public inquiry. | His parents said the Board of Inquiry report could lead to a fresh inquest and have called for a public inquiry. |
| Mr Gray said the family were handed the Board of Inquiry report on Tuesday, but were told they could not talk about the report in detail for two days. | Mr Gray said the family were handed the Board of Inquiry report on Tuesday, but were told they could not talk about the report in detail for two days. |
| "We have waited an awfully long time for this report," he said. | "We have waited an awfully long time for this report," he said. |
| I believe my son was murdered. You can't shoot yourself once either side of the head on single shot mode Diane Gray | |
| "There are some very serious allegations in the report and it should be shared with everybody else. | "There are some very serious allegations in the report and it should be shared with everybody else. |
| "This report could give us at least a new inquest into Geoff's death. | "This report could give us at least a new inquest into Geoff's death. |
| "A public inquiry has to happen." | "A public inquiry has to happen." |
| He added: "There was a mention of a warm weapon on the night that Geoff died - one soldier alleges that another soldier had a warm weapon. | He added: "There was a mention of a warm weapon on the night that Geoff died - one soldier alleges that another soldier had a warm weapon. |
| "As far as I'm concerned, if somebody has a warm weapon, it means it has been fired." | "As far as I'm concerned, if somebody has a warm weapon, it means it has been fired." |
| And he added: "The bullets were not checked in, so they do not know who has fired how many bullets." | And he added: "The bullets were not checked in, so they do not know who has fired how many bullets." |
| He said he was furious he was not allowed to talk in detail about the report and accused the Army of bullying tactics. | He said he was furious he was not allowed to talk in detail about the report and accused the Army of bullying tactics. |
| Mr Gray said the report contained "very serious allegations" | |
| Mr Gray said: "We've been threatened by the Army that if we break that embargo, no other families in future will have a prior release by the Board of Inquiry." | Mr Gray said: "We've been threatened by the Army that if we break that embargo, no other families in future will have a prior release by the Board of Inquiry." |
| And Mrs Gray, 44, said: "We've been a little bit cheated by only getting 80 pages. It's no substitute for a public inquiry but we still keep on fighting until we get there. | |
| "I believe my son was murdered. You can't shoot yourself once either side of the head on single shot mode. | |
| "With the information we've got we think we should get a new inquest." | |
| Ptes Geoff Gray, of Seaham, Co Durham, Sean Benton, 20, of Hastings, East Sussex, James Collinson, 17, of Perth, and Cheryl James, 18, of Llangollen, Denbighshire, all died of bullet wounds at the training base in separate incidents. | Ptes Geoff Gray, of Seaham, Co Durham, Sean Benton, 20, of Hastings, East Sussex, James Collinson, 17, of Perth, and Cheryl James, 18, of Llangollen, Denbighshire, all died of bullet wounds at the training base in separate incidents. |
| Inquests into the deaths recorded a verdict of suicide in Pte Benton's case and open verdicts for the other three. | Inquests into the deaths recorded a verdict of suicide in Pte Benton's case and open verdicts for the other three. |
| Inquiry calls | |
| The Grays were handed the report by Colonel Simon Doughty, chairman of the Board of Inquiry, who met them in Westminster. | |
| Col Doughty was travelling to Scotland on Tuesday to meet Pte Collinson's parents at a Perth hotel. | |
| Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth will make a statement on the report to the House of Commons on Thursday. | |
| He will also make a statement on another Board of Inquiry investigation which looked into the death of Pte Collinson, who was found dead at the barracks in March 2002. | |
| Investigations into the Deepcut deaths have included inquiries by Surrey Police, the Adult Learning Inspectorate, and deputy high court judge Nicholas Blake QC. | |
| The Adult Learning Inspectorate called for substantial reforms in the training of new recruits. | |
| Nicholas Blake QC called for an independent Ombudsman for the Armed Forces, but rejected the families' calls for a public inquiry. |