Downing Street Says

Asked if the Prime Minister had a view on what sort of inquiry Deepcut should be, the PMOS replied that what was important was people wanted to be assured that we had got to the bottom of the allegations, but the nature of those allegations made it difficult to investigate. The MOD would brief on the terms of the review.

Asked if it was possible that the Government could concede the public inquiry, and close the door completely, the PMOS replied that a public inquiry would not provide the necessary answers. What needed to be done to begin with, was ensure that those allegations could be substantiated, given the problems the MOD had outlined about the lack of witnesses coming forward.

Asked why a set up similar to one used for the Bloody Sunday Inquiry (where members of the Armed Forces were made anonymous) could not be used for this case as well, the PMOS replied that they were two distinct issues because the Bloody Sunday case needed the identities of the witnesses protected, rather than a lack of people coming forward to begin with.

Asked that the reason people were not coming forward was because they were frightened, the PMOS said the question was a presumptive one, but in terms of an outcome, he would prefer to wait, rather than prejudge it.

Asked if the understanding was of a review into Deepcut, rather than allegations found in newspapers, the PMOS said he thought it better that the MOD briefed on the terms of reference.

1 Comment »

My daughter died at Deepcut on November 27, 2004

What the public may not be aware of is that when Cheryl’s body was found the Commanding Officer of the camp, NIGEL BARRIE JOSLING was faced with the second death by gunshot in the space of 19 weeks. He also had documentation compiled by his staff indicating 10 separate suicide attempts at Deepcut during that 19-week period.
Despite this he appears to have taken very little decisive action. The camp was not stood down, the scene was not preserved, evidence was lost or destroyed and most importantly primacy was not handed over to the civilian police, as it should have been.
Lt Colonel Josling did not make any contact with us; did not appear nor give evidence to the Inquest; did not appear nor give evidence to the Board of Inquiry; and was moved from the camp within days of the BOI completion in January 1996.

Col Josling was posted back to Deepcut in November 2002 even though Surrey Police had re-opened their investigations into the Deepcut deaths in July of that year; and in January of 2003 was awarded the OBE.

The families want nothing more than an inquiry which can once and for all consider the facts of these deaths and bring to account those officers both Police and Military who clearly we suggest have failed in their responsibilities.

Had four people died at any other location in the UK in peacetime we believe any Government would be falling over itself to convene an Inquiry. The question remains why this Government continue to deny us.

We are reassured by the tremendous support we continue to receive from the public, Amnesty International, the Police and senior political figures.

It has never been our intention to insult the good name of the British Army and we believe Mr Ingram\x92s continued irrational denial of an Inquiry into the deaths at Deepcut harms that reputation far more than we ever have.
Comment by DES JAMES — 4 Dec 2004 on 1:43 pm | Link

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» Tuesday, November 30, 2004

Deepcut

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