THE devastated family of a young soldier found hanging at a North Yorkshire barracks claimed last night that he was driven to take his own life.

Derek McGregor, who had served in Germany and Northern Ireland, joined the 3 Close Support Medical Regiment at Catterick Garrison only three weeks before his death.

His father, Joe, claimed that a haunting note left by his son points to incidents of beatings and an unwillingness by the Army to treat the 21-year-old medic's desperate pleas for help seriously.

Mr McGregor, from Blackpool, said that his son had hoped that his death might change Army attitudes and prevent future tragedies.

"The suicide note says that they (the Army) told him he was a liar," said Mr McGregor. "He said he hoped that the consequences of what has happened to him will help somebody else."

Mr McGregor also revealed that his son's body bore cuts and bruises after an assault outside the Catterick base a week before his death.

The Northern Echo exclusively revealed yesterday how the lance corporal, assigned to 24 Squadron, was found dead at the barracks on July 7. North Yorkshire Police have investigated and are due to report to coroner Geoff Fell.

Mr McGregor, who intends to sue the Army, said that the note revealed his son's torments in the days before his death. He said that the note - handed to the family by the Army - claims that he had reported instances of brutality. "The note says that he pleaded with Army doctors and Army staff for help," said Mr McGregor.

"Derek told them about his problems. They called him a liar. There is no way my son killed himself without having being driven to it by the Army.

"Derek told me he was desperate and living in fear of the brutality he faced. He was forced into killing himself."

L Cpl McGregor was the seventh soldier to have been found hanged at Catterick since 1997.

Mr McGregor said he was told by his son that he had been beaten up by military police officers while serving in Northern Ireland.

"A letter tells of the treatment he got from military police officers - a couple of them attacked him," he said.

"Derek was being investigated about something but they would not tell me what.

"I spoke to Derek's commanding officer. He told me that both he and the Special Investigations Branch were satisfied there was no foundation to it - but Derek still got beaten up for it."

L Cpl McGregor was so distressed that he went AWOL and when eventually caught, his father claimed that he was locked in a cell for days and forced to sit on a metal box.

When the family viewed his body before the soldier's funeral three weeks ago, they were shocked to find bruising on his face.

"He had a black eye, cuts on his chin and a cut on his face. The Army said it had happened a week before his death,", said Mr McGregor. "They said it had happened outside the barracks."

The soldier's mother, Liz McManus, who is divorced from Mr McGregor, said: "He was my only son. I still can't believe it."

Families of other soldiers who have died at Catterick have been campaigning for a public inquiry for more than a year. Mr McGregor said: "There should be an urgent independent inquiry into what is making young, fit men kill themselves."

An exclusive investigation by The Northern Echo has previously uncovered a disturbing dossier of abuse at the camp spanning 20 years.

A Catterick Garrison spokesman said: "Unfortunately, as regrettable as the whole incident is, we could not comment until the coroner has held his inquest.

"It would be inappropriate to pre-judge what is received in evidence for the inquest or comment on any legal claim against the Army."

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