DEEPCUT soldier Sean Benton was made to do press-ups over a female soldier, his second inquest heard.

The 20-year-old from Hastings, who was shot five times in the chest at the controversial Surrey Army camp in 1995, was made to do press-ups over a woman soldier lying on the ground, witnesses said.

A second inquest into his death was ordered after the original verdict of suicide was quashed in 2016.

Two witnesses at the second hearing said he was ordered to do the press-ups over the woman in front of hundreds of other recruits on parade.

Susan Monks who was a recruit at Deepcut with Private Benton told the inquest Sean was made to do the press ups by Sergeant Andrew Gavaghan.

“Gavaghan got Sean out. He made a female soldier lie on the floor and made Sean do press ups over her,” she said.

Ms Monks said it had been raining and the female soldier was made to lie in the mud.

Asked if she had ever seen anyone do this before, she said: “Never, in my whole Army career.

“It must’ve been extremely humiliating for him.

“It was disgusting.”

Another former soldier, Claire Hodgson, said: “She was made to lie down on her back and Sean was made to do press-ups over her.

“As he went down, he was almost touching her.”

Another soldier said he had been told Sean Benton was unstable and should not be allowed to have a weapon on guard duty.

Former Army captain John Stevens said: “He had tried to harm himself which wasn’t the normal thing for a soldier to do.

“He was back chatting a lot. Which would invoke even more problems.

“I just didn’t think he was sound,” the former captain said.

“I remember him not being armed on guard duty. I remember various NCOs saying, ‘we’re not givin’ him a weapon’.”

The inquest at Surrey Coroner’s Court in Woking continues.

For more of freelance reporter Barry Keevins' coverage, go to gofundme.com/sean-benton-scond-inquest or www.deepcutinquest.co.uk