Cpl Anne-Marie Ellement death: New probe to be held

Anne-Marie Ellement was found hanged three days after her 30th birthday

A new investigation is to be conducted into the death of a female military police officer found hanged after accusing two colleagues of raping her.

Cpl Anne-Marie Ellement, 30, from Bournemouth, was found dead at Bulford Barracks in Wiltshire in October 2011.

An inquest in March last year recorded a verdict of suicide, but in August the High Court ordered a new inquest.

The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that the RAF Police is conducting a fresh probe into Cpl Ellement's death.

A civilian police force has also been asked to support the investigation.

Cpl Ellement had alleged that she was raped by two fellow Royal Military Police (RMP) soldiers while she was drunk.

'Let down'

The complaint was investigated by the RMP's Special Investigations Branch but no charges were brought.

Cpl Ellement's sister Sharon Hardy, 44, from Christchurch, who has previously accused the RMP of "failing in their duty of care" to her sister, said: "Anne-Marie tried to seek justice on her own - sadly she never accomplished her fight and ended up taking her own life."

She said her family felt "outraged and extremely let down" by "failings" in the original investigation.

"We're delighted that the MoD has now agreed to a fresh investigation and we have every confidence in the newly appointed police forces," she added.

Civil rights group Liberty, representing Cpl Ellement's sisters, had called for a fresh probe by another branch of the military and civilian police specialising in sex crimes amid concerns the original investigation was inadequate.

Lawyer Emma Norton from Liberty said: "Only independent oversight of military investigations and greater civilian involvement will help ensure this never happens again."