Deepcut: Fresh inquest into Pte Geoff Gray's death could be heard

Pte Gray was found with two gunshot wounds to his head while on guard duty in 2001

The family of a soldier who died at Deepcut Barracks 16 years ago have been told they can apply for a new inquest.

Pte Geoff Gray, 17, from Seaham, County Durham, was found with two gunshot wounds to his head while on guard duty on 17 September 2001.

The Army said he killed himself but an inquest returned an open verdict.

His family won the right to apply to the High Court for a fresh inquest after Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC agreed new evidence had come to light.

He said: "Having considered the application, I have given consent to the family of Pte Geoff Gray to apply to the High Court for a new inquest into his death.

"I am satisfied that there is new material evidence available that was not put before the inquest in 2001 and I believe that it is in the interests of justice for the application for a new inquest to be heard by the High Court."

Four deaths

Pte Gray was one of four young soldiers to die at the barracks in Surrey between 1995 and 2002.

Last year a High Court judge gave the go-ahead for a fresh inquest into the death of Pte Sean Benton, from Hastings, East Sussex.

It is expected to take place at Surrey Coroner's Court in Woking from 24 January next year.

The 20-year-old was found with five bullet wounds to his chest in June 1995 while undergoing training at Deepcut.

Pte Cheryl James, 18, from Llangollen, North Wales, shot herself in November 1995, according to a second inquest into her death which concluded in June last year.

Following Pte Gray's death in 2001, Pte James Collinson, 17, from Perth, was found dead with a single gunshot wound to the head on 23 March 2002.

Who were the Deepcut four? Background to the deaths and timeline of events