Deepcut files kept secret to save police

The Daily Mail made a series of requests under Freedom of Information laws for the report into Surrey Police's handling of the case to be released.

However, these have been turned down because the findings would damage the force's reputation and erode public confidence in the police and the Army.

Relatives of the four young soldiers who died at Deepcut camp are furious, claiming these are precisely the reasons the findings should be made public.

Four young squaddies were found dead from gunshot wounds at Deepcut in mysterious circumstances between 1995 and 2002.

Relatives believe Army and civilian police investigating the deaths were too quick to assume all four were cases of suicide, despite evidence uncovered by independent forensic experts pointing to foul play.

Private Sean Benton, 20, and Private Cheryl James, 18, were found dead at Deepcut five months apart in 1995, while Private Geoff Gray, 17, died in 2001 and Private James Collinson, also 17, was found dead the following year.

All died from gunshot wounds from assault rifles, mostly while guarding the perimeter. Relatives believe they may have been murdered.

Criticism of the original police inquiry snowballed into a scandal and a second investigation uncovered a culture of physical and psychological bullying of recruits at Deepcut.

Devon and Cornwall Police were drafted in to review Surrey's handling of the case, but their 150-page report has been kept secret, with only a three-page summary published.

That described Surrey's investigation as poorly led and said the "mindset" of detectives may have led them to narrow the inquiries too soon, concentrating on suicide.

Without revealing details it described "confusion over roles and responsibilities" and a "lack of clarity" in leadership from senior officers and complained Surrey Police prevented

Devon and Cornwall's officers from considering key documents.

In refusing to release the full report Devon and Cornwall Police claimed all the relevant material was held in "15 large files" which would take too long to read and edit, therefore exceeding the £600 cost limit for handling Freedom of Information requests.

Officials added that releasing the findings was "likely to harm the reputation of Surrey Police" as well as having "a negative impact on the public confidence in Surrey Police", and raising "wider concerns about Army training establishments".

They also claimed publishing the report would "prejudice the effective conduct of pubic affairs", as police might be discouraged from cooperating freely with future "learning reviews" carried out by other forces.

Finally, it is claimed releasing the report would cause "distress and harm" to Surrey officers, and "endanger the physical or mental health" of named individuals.

Geoff Gray, whose son Geoff was one of the Deepcut four, said he was appalled at the decision.

He added: "It is more than frustrating for us as parents, knowing that the report into my son's death was so flawed that they won't release this report."

Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik, who has campaigned for a public inquiry, said: "It makes a mockery of the Freedom of Information Act if, when push comes to shove, the old culture of secrecy can still be evoked to form a defensive ring round information which should already be in the public domain."