The parents of a Perth soldier killed in mysterious circumstances have announced they will drop their bid for a fresh inquiry.
Yvonne Collinson-Heath and Jim Collinson said they no longer have the strength to continue their fight to uncover the truth about what happened to their son James, 17 years ago.
Authorities ruled that James, 17, shot himself at the Deepcut Army Barracks.
But his family always maintained there was more to become public surrounding the death.
In a statement issued on Friday morning, the parents said they had decided not to proceed with their bid for a fresh inquest.
Mrs Collinson-Heath said: “Neither of us has the emotional or physical strength to sit silently through months of evidence about our son, listening to barristers who never knew him attempt to persuade a court that – notwithstanding the absence of evidence – our child was, probably, secretly suicidal and had simply kept this hidden from us.”
She added: “Deepcut has cast a dark, dark shadow over the British Army. We recognise that things are changed from the time that James and the others died. But we also note with alarm recent reports into inappropriate behaviour and the seemingly endless allegations of sexual harassment and worse. It is clear that much more still needs to change. Our soldiers deserve better. James deserved better.”
The family has urged anyone with new information to contact their solicitor Emma Norton at Liberty via militaryjustice@libertyhumanrights.org.uk
Full story in Saturday’s The Courier.
