Cheryl James Deepcut death: Military police officer's story 'accurate'

Pte Cheryl James was found dead with a bullet wound to the head

An ex-military police officer who found the body of a soldier at Deepcut barracks has denied his account of events was inaccurate.

Pte Cheryl James was found dead from a bullet wound to her head at the Surrey barracks in 1995.

Neil Vousden was questioned about whether there were inconsistencies between his account and other evidence at an inquest in Woking.

He said he found the body with colleague Tyron Bancroft.

Mr Vousden said he made the discovery after being sent by his Provo sergeant to see why Pte James had left her guard duty at the barracks gate.

"We saw a waterproof camouflage jacket behind a bushed area," he said.

"Tyron Bancroft approached the location, I was behind him. Obviously we saw that it was a body.

"Bancroft leaned down behind the head and took the pulse. There was no life, no sign of life."

The body of Pte Cheryl James was found in woods near the gate of Deepcut barracks

Pte James, 18, from Llangollen in Denbighshire, was one of four recruits to die at the base in seven years.

Mr Vousden said he had selected Pte James to man the gate because she was "a very responsible young lady".

He insisted he was not aware of orders in force at the time that female soldiers should not do lone guard duty.

Mr Vousden said he had driven Pte James to the gate, to start her duty at 06:55. He then returned to the gate at about 08:20 a few minutes after it was reported unattended.

'Untrue account'

But Alison Foster QC, representing the James family, accused him of giving an untrue account to make himself look more efficient.

She said other witnesses reported Pte James had walked to her post and questioned him about why the log of her final duty "CJ stag" was missing.

"There's nothing about 'CJ stag' in these papers, it's difficult to avoid the conclusion that it was destroyed. Did you have anything to do with that?" Ms Foster asked.

Mr Vousden said: "No."

Ms Foster said his account "recorded what you ought to have done and what ought to have happened".

"It wasn't an account of what actually happened on the day of Cheryl's death was it?" she said.

Mr Vousden repeatedly denied the accusation and insisted he was trying to look more efficient but was telling the truth.

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

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

Mr Bancroft said Pte James seemed her usual "happy and bubbly" self when he spoke to her at the gate on his way into the camp.

He described how he returned later and found her body along with Mr Vousden.

"Neil Vousden flagged me down, I pulled over and he asked me for assistance because the sentry was missing," he said.

"I went to the woods and could see a waterproof jacket which looked like it was lying on a mound, I could then see it was a body.

"I could see an injury to the face, to get a better look I had to kneel down in front of the body.

"I went to the back of the body and moved the hood to look for a pulse. There was no pulse."

He said he saw Pte James's radio "lying on the step" of the cabin at the post.

The inquest was adjourned until Wednesday.