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30/11/2004
Deepcut abuse allegations subject of independent review
Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram told MPs today that Deepcut army barracks in Surrey will be the subject of an independent investigation following allegations of abuse.
Confirmation of the independent review will come as welcome news to the families of the four recruits who died at the base between 1995 and 2002. A subsequent police investigation into the deaths revealed a catalogue of abuse, including over 100 claims of rape, racism and beatings.
Minister Ingram said: "An Army career has never been and never will be a soft option. But I should like to make it quite clear that violence and intimidation are not the means by which the Army produces the soldiers it needs. Our policy continues to be to bear down on such behaviour hard, and as far as is possible to eradicate it completely from our bases and training grounds. We are succeeding at this. Such behaviour has no place whatsoever in society, and neither is it tolerated in the Army."
Families of the victims have consistently refused to accept that their deaths were suicides and have long campaigned for a full public inquiry. Des James, whose daughter Cheryl was found dead at Deepcut nine years ago, claims that the government has been "embarrassed" into announcing this review.
The new abuse allegations were contained in the documents publicised on Monday relating to the investigation of the four deaths. Mr Ingram confirmed that nine of the allegations concerned rape and three were ongoing. He denied that the MoD had ever tried to stage a cover up of events at the base. He stressed that the documents released on Monday provided allegations and these were subject to investigation and 'have not yet been tested'.
(mmcg)
Confirmation of the independent review will come as welcome news to the families of the four recruits who died at the base between 1995 and 2002. A subsequent police investigation into the deaths revealed a catalogue of abuse, including over 100 claims of rape, racism and beatings.
Minister Ingram said: "An Army career has never been and never will be a soft option. But I should like to make it quite clear that violence and intimidation are not the means by which the Army produces the soldiers it needs. Our policy continues to be to bear down on such behaviour hard, and as far as is possible to eradicate it completely from our bases and training grounds. We are succeeding at this. Such behaviour has no place whatsoever in society, and neither is it tolerated in the Army."
Families of the victims have consistently refused to accept that their deaths were suicides and have long campaigned for a full public inquiry. Des James, whose daughter Cheryl was found dead at Deepcut nine years ago, claims that the government has been "embarrassed" into announcing this review.
The new abuse allegations were contained in the documents publicised on Monday relating to the investigation of the four deaths. Mr Ingram confirmed that nine of the allegations concerned rape and three were ongoing. He denied that the MoD had ever tried to stage a cover up of events at the base. He stressed that the documents released on Monday provided allegations and these were subject to investigation and 'have not yet been tested'.
(mmcg)
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