Deepcut investigation did not look properly at hypothetical suspects

Detectives investigating the deaths of four soldiers at the Deepcut barracks, including a teenage soldier from the Shropshire border, did not properly consider a list of hypothetical suspects, according to a report.

Devon and Cornwall Police reviewed Surrey Police's investigations and found the force was aware of a number of theories suggesting specific individuals could have killed the soldiers.

The review found it was impossible to say whether or not the individuals should have been considered suspects or eliminated from inquiries.

But in the case of Private Cheryl James, from Llanymynech, the report found Surrey Police failed to fully investigate a potential suspect known as an "unknown white male".

Private James, 18, was found dead with a single bullet wound to the head at Deepcut in November 1995.

She was one of four young recruits to die at the barracks between 1995 and 2002.

The report said: "The unknown male should have been subject to a trace and interview action.

"Operation Stanza (the review) believes insufficient investigative work took place to identify this unknown male who could have potentially been a suspect."

The other soldiers who died from gunshot wounds in controversial circumstances were Private Sean Benton, 20, from Hastings in Sussex, Private Geoff Gray, 17, of Hackney, east London, and Private James Collinson, 17,from Perth, Scotland.

A coroner recorded a verdict of suicide on Private Benton but the inquests into the other three returned open verdicts.

Des James, Private James's father, said: "It was clear to us that the investigation was about a suicide not an open-minded investigation to find out what had happened to my daughter and the other three boys."

By Anwen Evans