If Geoff Gray's evidence about the Deepcut inquiry is correct - and he has received it from the Ministry of Defence by using the Freedom of Information Act - then it is quite shocking.

It's hard to believe that only hours after police told Mr Gray that they were re-examining how his son came to die at the Deepcut Barracks, police officers apparently briefed the Army saying they would support the conclusion he took his own life.

This would appear to suggest that they had already made up their minds that Private Geoff Gray had committed suicide - before inquiries had even begun.

The family was also told that the gun which killed their young son had been destroyed. It hasn't. The weapon is still in a police station in Surrey.

Pte Gray's parents had hired an independent ballistics expert to find out how their son died - but the expert never knew the gun existed and so never examined it.

Mr Gray's evidence also seems to indicate that the police motivation was to end speculation that they and the Army were covering up the deaths of the Seaham soldier and three other privates at the barracks.

Pte Gray was found dead from two gunshot wounds to the head at the Surrey base in September 2001. His parents believe he was murdered.

The Army has always maintained he committed suicide, but a coroner later recorded an open verdict because he was not satisfied Pte Gray took his own life.

Surrey Police's handling of the case - a 15-month-long inquiry costing a £1m - is already under investigation by Devon and Cornwall police.

We trust that they will take all of Mr Gray's documents into account when coming to their conclusions, but this is rapidly becoming such a non-transparent affair that the only way the families will be able to see the truth about how their loved ones died is through a public inquiry.