INQUESTS into the deaths of young soldiers found dead at a North-East Army base may be reopened because they were carried out by disgraced coroner Jeremy Cave, it was revealed last night.

Families of the young soldiers, who all died at Catterick Garrison, said the former coroner and North Yorkshire solicitor, who was jailed earlier this year for plundering clients' estates, exercised a lack of judgement when carrying out the inquests.

Relatives of the dead servicemen will meet lawyers this week to discuss the high number of deaths at Catterick in recent years.

Since 1997, there have been seven soldiers found hanged at the base, six have died of gunshot wounds, and three have collapsed and died after training.

The main cause of one private's death has never been established.

Cave, who resigned from his post as coroner after being jailed for three-and-a-half years, told campaigner Lynn Farr there was no need for an inquest into her son's death in 1997.

Last night Mrs Farr, who is spearheading the campaign for a public inquiry into deaths at Catterick, backed by The Northern Echo, said: "I think his conviction puts his whole judgement into question.

"When my son died, the Leeds coroner wanted an inquest and, within two hours, Jeremy Cave rang me and said an inquest was not needed.

"These cases need looking at again."

One inquest into the gunshot wound death of Private Allan Sharples took only ten minutes.