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Deepcut deaths inquiry rejected Deepcut deaths inquiry rejected
(about 1 hour later)
Armed Forces minister Bob Ainsworth has again rejected calls for a public inquiry into the deaths of two soldiers at the Deepcut barracks in Surrey.Armed Forces minister Bob Ainsworth has again rejected calls for a public inquiry into the deaths of two soldiers at the Deepcut barracks in Surrey.
He told MPs the release of Army Board of Inquiry reports into the deaths did not change the government's position.He told MPs the release of Army Board of Inquiry reports into the deaths did not change the government's position.
"We do not believe there is any wider public or service interest in pursuing one," he said. The findings about the deaths of Ptes Geoff Gray and James Collinson supported the coroner's open verdicts.
The soldiers were among four who died of bullet wounds in separate incidents at the base between 1995 and 2002.The soldiers were among four who died of bullet wounds in separate incidents at the base between 1995 and 2002.
Mr Ainsworth rejected calls on Thursday for a public inquiry into the deaths of Ptes Geoff Gray, of Seaham, Co Durham, in September 2001, and James Collinson, 17, of Perth, in March 2002. Pte Gray, of Seaham, Co Durham, died in September 2001, and Pte Collinson, 17, of Perth, died in March 2002.
The impact of their untimely deaths was felt, not just across the MoD, but across the nation Bob Ainsworth, Armed Forces minister The impact of their untimely deaths was felt, not just across the MoD, but across the nation Bob Ainsworth
The other two soldiers who died from bullet wounds at Deepcut were Ptes Sean Benton, 20, of Hastings, East Sussex, and Cheryl James, 18, of Llangollen, Denbighshire.The other two soldiers who died from bullet wounds at Deepcut were Ptes Sean Benton, 20, of Hastings, East Sussex, and Cheryl James, 18, of Llangollen, Denbighshire.
Both Board of Inquiry (BoI) reports into the deaths of Ptes Gray and Collinson agreed with the open verdicts recorded at their inquests, Mr Ainsworth said in a written statement to the House of Commons. In a written statement to the House of Commons, Mr Ainsworth said the Ministry of Defence did not believe there was "any wider public or service interest" in pursuing a public inquiry, given the "range of investigations" that had already taken place.
They supported the 2006 findings of the Blake Review into the Deepcut deaths that there was "no substantial evidence" supporting third party involvement in Pte Gray's death, he said. Both Board of Inquiry (BoI) reports supported the 2006 findings of the Blake Review into what happened at Deepcut, that there was "no substantial evidence" supporting third party involvement in Pte Gray's death, Mr Ainsworth said.
In Pte Collinson's case, the BoI concluded there were no indications from his general behaviour during his time in the Army to suggest he was at any risk.In Pte Collinson's case, the BoI concluded there were no indications from his general behaviour during his time in the Army to suggest he was at any risk.
The reports, which were released to the families of both soldiers earlier this week, make 20 recommendations ranging from supporting bereaved families to ensuring the continued improvement of training for troops. 'Warm weapon'
The minister apologised to the families of Ptes Gray and Collinson for delays in the release of the BoIs. The reports, which were released to the families of both soldiers earlier this week, make 20 recommendations, ranging from supporting bereaved families to ensuring the continued improvement of training for troops.
Mr Ainsworth said all the new recommendations had been addressed as there was "considerable overlap" with suggestions made in earlier reviews.
The minister apologised to the families of Ptes Gray and Collinson for delays in the release of the reports.
"The impact of their untimely deaths was felt, not just across the MoD, but across the nation."The impact of their untimely deaths was felt, not just across the MoD, but across the nation.
"Our thoughts are with all their families and friends at this difficult time," he said. "Our thoughts are with all their families and friends at this difficult time," the minister said.
'Deepcut failures'
But Pte Gray's father, also named Geoff, repeated his call for a public inquiry, saying "new evidence" added weight to his appeal.
He said a "warm weapon" had been found at Deepcut on the night of his son's death, which he believes could mean his son was murdered.
"If somebody had a warm weapon, in my mind that means that that weapon has been fired, and we need to know how that weapon was fired, where it was fired and, even more astonishingly, the ammunition that night was never counted back in so we don't know how many rounds were missing that night," Mr Gray told the BBC.
The inquest into his son's death - from two gunshot wounds to the head - returned an open verdict, although a separate independent inquiry concluded Pte Gray had taken his own life.
The father of Pte Collinson, Jim, said the BoI report appeared to admit to failures at Deepcut.
"Since 1995 up to James's death in 2002 there have been a string of failures by the British Army over the manpower at Deepcut and the health and safety aspect at Deepcut," Mr Collinson said.
"Somebody has got to be answerable for this."