Deepcut: Cheryl James's father urges more people to sign petition calling for inquiry
A petition urging the Government to set up an independent public inquiry into abuse at Deepcut Army Barracks needs more signatures, according to the father of tragic teenage soldier Cheryl James.
Des James has called on people to support the campaign to convene an inquiry into allegations of physical, sexual and psychological abuse at the Army barracks in Surrey between 1993 and 2002.
The petition has so far collected just under 500 signatures.
His daughter, Cheryl was 18 years old when she was found dead from a gunshot wound on guard duty at the barracks in 1995.
Her family, from Llanymynech near Oswestry, were left "desperately disappointed" when an inquest in her death ruled last month that she had taken her own life.
During the inquest the coroner was told of some of the instances of abuse at the Surrey Barracked.
But the campaign group Liberty, whose lawyers represented Mr and Mrs James, said that there are many people who report having been the victim of physical and sexual assault, including rape, at Deepcut barracks but whose stories were not able to be told at the inquest.
Pte James was one of four soldiers who died at the barracks between 1995 and 2002. The families of Ptes Sean Benton and James Collinson also support a public inquiry.
Liberty's petition says: "Those stories and the culture that allowed the abuse to flourish must be exposed.
"Those in authority knew or ought to have known that certain individuals or groups of people were at real and immediate risk, yet they failed to take measures within the scope of the authority they held."
Mr James said that during the lead up to and during the inquest he had spoken to many of those who came forward as potential witnesses.
He said: "Their stories of what happened to them are harrowing and many of them still suffer today from mental health issues that stem from their treatment. They are the forgotten victims of abuse.
"We owe it to these people, who were so very young when they suffered at the hands of others at Deepcut, to insist that the Government set up a public inquiry.
"We also owe it to the memory of Cheryl and the other soldiers who died."
People can sign the on-line petition by going to https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/132025
