THE father of a young North- East Army recruit found dead at the controversial Deepcut barracks said a report due out tomorrow contains “very serious allegations”.
Private Geoff Gray, from Seaham, County Durham, died at the Surrey base in September 2001, from two gunshot wounds to his head.
An open verdict was recorded after his inquest.
His parents, Geoff and Diane Gray, have been given the Board of Inquiry investigation report into his death, but were told not to talk in detail about its contents until it is published.
However, Mr Gray said: “There are some very serious allegations in the report and it should be shared with everybody else. This report could give us at least a new inquest into Geoff’s death. A public inquiry has to happen.”
Mr Gray, who believes his son was murdered, said the report contained indications that his son was shot by somebody else.
He said: “There was a mention of a warm weapon on the night that Geoff died and one soldier alleges that another soldier had a warm weapon.
“As far as I’m concerned, if somebody has a warm weapon, it means it has been fired.”
Mrs Gray said: “The bullets were not checked in, so they do not know who has fired how many bullets.”
Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth will make a statement about the report to the House of Commons tomorrow.
He will also make a statement regarding another Board of Inquiry investigation into the death of Private James Collinson, who was found dead at the same barracks, in March 2002.
The Gray family were told they could not talk about the report for two days.
Mr Gray said: “We’ve been threatened by the Army that if we break that embargo, no other families in future will have a prior release by the Board of Inquiry.
“That is just bullying tactics by the Army. For the past seven years, it has been a hard fight to get information out of the Army.
“Even now, I have had to stand there and fight to get this report. I’m very upset.
There was no need to threaten me.”
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