Deepcut soldier Pte Cheryl James 'shot at close range'

Pte Cheryl James was found with a fatal bullet wound

The bullet that killed a young soldier at Deepcut barracks in Surrey could have been fired by her or someone else, an inquest has been told.

Ballistics expert Dr Bernd Salziger said the gun that killed Pte Cheryl James was fired at very close range.

Pte James was found with a fatal bullet wound at the barracks in 1995.

The 18-year-old from Llangollen in Denbighshire was one of four recruits to die at the base in seven years.

The hearing was told Pte James was found with a bullet wound between her right eye and the bridge of her nose.

Dr Salziger is part of a team from the German federal police agency, the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), which is giving evidence at the hearing in Woking.

The German experts were used by Surrey Police when they investigated the Deepcut deaths in 2002.

A report by the BKA team in 2003 had concluded that a theory Pte James was killed by someone else could not be ruled out, the inquest heard.

When asked if there could have been a deliberate shot by someone other than Pte James, Mr Salziger said: "It is possible that it was activated by somebody else.

"It is not possible to tell whether it was Cheryl or somebody else."

John Beggs QC, representing Surrey Police, read two lines from the BKA report which he said had been carefully translated.

He said: "No grounds were found which would contradict self-inflicted injury.

"The resulting pattern of evidence is totally consistent with a shot fired with suicidal intent."

Police investigated the Deepcut deaths in 2002

The inquest heard the German team had first suggested they investigate three hypotheses for the bullet wound.

Police initially suggested they investigate one, but it was later agreed to look at all three.

Those were whether the wound was a primary entry wound, whether there was an exit wound, and whether there was a secondary entry wound.

The inquest heard there was no exit wound on Pte James's body - but the experts found this was possible even though they had never seen it before.

Peter Mant, representing Pte James's family, said police indicated in a letter in 2003 they were under time pressure and had asked whether the investigation could be carried out quickly.

But the BKA replied they would not compromise their thoroughness, Mr Mant said.

An open verdict into Pte James's death was recorded in the first inquest into her death in December 1995. A second inquest is taking place after High Court judges quashed the findings.

The hearing continues.

Privates Benton, James, Gray and Collinson died at Deepcut between 1995 and 2002

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