Geoff Gray was just 17 years old when his body was found [Image: PA].
Private Gray, 17 at the time, was found dead from two bullet wounds to the head at the base in Surrey, on 17 September 2001. The original inquest took place on 19 March 2002, and the Coroner recorded an open verdict which did not include a narrative conclusion.
But his family have always insisted there was evidence that another soldier fired his weapon that evening and claim additional evidence was destroyed.
Gray’s death followed those of Privates Sean Benton and Cheryl James in 1995. In 2002, Private James Collinson became the fourth soldier to die in suspicious circumstances at Deepcut.
The authorities have resisted calls to hold a public inquiry into the deaths and the barracks has since been shut.
Now, why would they do that, if there’s nothing to hide? And – if a new inquest is opened thanks to this Conservative Attorney General – will it reveal information that could seriously embarrass the Army and the (Labour) government of the day?
The Attorney General, Jeremy Wright, said:
Having considered the application, I have given consent to the family of Private Geoff Gray to apply to the High Court for a new inquest into his death.
I am satisfied that there is new material evidence available that was not put before the inquest in 2001, and I believe that it is in the interests of justice for the application for a new inquest to be heard by the High Court.
The Attorney General has the authority to decide whether an application can be made to the High Court for a new inquest to be opened. He has no power to order a new coronial inquest himself. A new inquest can only be ordered by the High Court on an application made either by the Attorney or by a third party with the consent of the Attorney.
Before an application can be made, the Attorney has to be satisfied that there is a reasonable prospect that the Court would be persuaded to open a new inquest. These decisions are made as part of his public interest function, independently of Government and strictly on the basis of the evidence. The Attorney concluded, in this case, that there was sufficient grounds of challenge set out in the applications to have a reasonable prospect of success.
This Writer hopes that a new inquest does take place. The stain of alleged corruption around Deepcut won’t wash out if it is simply hidden away. But I hope that the reason for the inquest is the interest of justice – and not an interest in political gain after the government suffered an embarrassing setback in an election.
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I think most of the UK, with even with just a small amount of common sense, were waking up to something not being right after the fourth death. Unfortunately the civil or military police did not seem to share this same concern and in my opinion were not at all robust in their investigation process in losing key material and evidence just made the public more suspicious of there being a military cover up operating that was more important than the death of these kids who just wanted to join the army.. I have never read anything political in these incidents but felt a very lack lustre investigation process was in place and as the deaths went on just furthered my believe the military were either covering for a person or persons in particular, totally incompetent and out of their depth, or worse did not give a toss there was such things going on right under their noses. I welcome the new enquiry for something that still bugs me as unfinished business. Not sure how this would impact on Labour politics when the much more major issues such as the Bushs poodle Blair going on a killing spree in the middle east based on an outright lie was just whitewashed by the establishment in the most longwinded expensive manner you could ask for.
You’re not being asked to read anything political into the deaths.
The political element is the decision to give leave for a fresh inquest application now, when it could embarrass a strong Labour Party.