Deepcut soldier let down by lack of support from military, says coroner
Private Sean Benton, 20, died on June 9 1995 with five bullet wounds to his chest at the Surrey military base.
A young soldier who fatally shot himself at Deepcut barracks hours after he was told he would be discharged from the Army was let down by a lack of support from the military, a coroner has ruled.
Private Sean Benton, 20, died on June 9 1995 with five bullet wounds to his chest at the Surrey military base, following episodes of verbal and physical violence from a senior member of staff, and at least one attack by fellow juniors.
Coroner Peter Rook QC said a campaign by Pte Benton’s family to hold a second inquest – 23 years after the first – was “vindicated” after exposing failures at the base.
Speaking outside Woking Coroner’s Court on Wednesday, the soldier’s family said they would ask the police to open a criminal investigation into the death.
Pte Benton, originally from Hastings, was the first of four soldiers to die at Deepcut between 1995 and 2002 amid claims of bullying and abuse.
Privates Cheryl James, James Collinson and Geoff Gray also died from gunshot wounds.
Pte Benton’s inquest, which began in January and heard from more than 170 witnesses, recorded how he had gone from being “bubbly” and a joker to being much more withdrawn.
He had got into drunken fights and was prone to bouts of violence and insubordination, witnesses said.
But there was also evidence of bullying, particularly from Sergeant Andrew Gavaghan, the coroner saying he was satisfied the officer punched and kicked some trainees, abusing his power to do so.
