Ex-soldier charged with sex attacks on males at Deepcut

A former soldier has been charged with one count of male rape and five counts of indecent assault against males, all of which…

A former soldier has been charged with one count of male rape and five counts of indecent assault against males, all of which were alleged to have occurred at the British Army's Deepcut Barracks.

Leslie Skinner, 45, of Lincolnshire, answered bail at Guildford Police Station when he was charged with the offences.

The offences, which are alleged to have taken place between 1996 and 1997, all relate to two alleged victims who were both soldiers at the Princess Royal Barracks at Deepcut, Surrey.

The Surrey Police spokesman said the charges were not connected to the deaths of four recruits at the Deepcut Barracks between 1995 and 2002.

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However, he said the allegations came to light as a result of the police investigation into those deaths.

"These (the allegations) have come about as a result of soldiers coming forward to us while we were investigating the Deepcut deaths, but we do not believe any of these allegations are connected with any of the deaths," said the spokesman.

He added that the decision to bring the charges against the former soldier was taken following consultation between Surrey Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Skinner is due to appear before Guildford Magistrates' Court on July 15th.

Surrey Police confirmed that Mr Skinner was no longer a soldier at Deepcut.

PA