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Deepcut families demand inquiry
Army



Published: 20-sep-2003
By: Tanya Sillem



"The Government can't ignore us for much longer."


Families of soldiers who died from non-combat accidents in barracks across the UK, have renewed calls for a full Hutton style public inquiry.



The Ministry of Defence hasn't ruled it out - but said until the Police, and Commons Defence Committee publish the results of their own investigations, "a decision now would be premature."



The families whose relatives died at Deepcut in Surrey, and Catterick, North Yorkshire have pledged to fight for "truth, justice and change". Our correspondent Tanya Sillem reports:



It was March 2000 - Alan Sharples was 20 and had been awarded best rifleman at Catterick Garrison in North Yorkshire. He was go to Sandhurst. He celebrated his engagement to Vicky, and his passing out, at a party with other young soldiers. Within a month he was dead.



The Ministry of Defence says there've been 25 non-combat deaths at Catterick in the last 10-years - campaigners say there's been 42 - at least half of which are suspicious.



The Inquests on some were conducted by Coroner Jeremy Cave, who took just ten minutes to record an open verdict on Alan Sharples. He's now in prison for fraud on an unrelated matter - in his defence Cave admitted he was incompetent.



Today the families of some of the soldiers who died at Catterick joined those who lost relatives at other military bases like Deepcut to call for new inquests and a public enquiry.



Its emerged that Surrey police who conducted an enquiry into the deaths of four young soldiers at Deepcut do have new evidence for the Coroner - though it's not yet clear what that is.



The force has made clear its support for a broader inquiry, though it has said there isn't enough evidence to mount a prosecution. Today forensic expert Frank Swan - who spent six weeks at the barracks - said that rather than committing suicide they'd been killed by a third party.



In response to the families' renewed demand for an inquiry, this evening the ministry of defence said it has conducted an appraisal of military training, and has taken already resolute action.


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