A high-ranking Army officer killed himself after he was accused of molesting a 17-year-old, Army sources have revealed.

Father-of-three Col Harry Quinn, 45, was confronted by the boy's father after the 17-year-old alleged victim went to police.

Col Quinn, who was married, talked to Army chaplains and gave a statement to police.

A fortnight later, he went into an empty married quarters at an ordnance depot barracks in Didcot and suffocated himself with a plastic bag on November 29. He left a note - although no confession of any kind - for his wife, Brigid, and his three children, before he died.

Col Quinn was buried yesterday at St Edmund's Church in Abingdon.

A senior Army spokesman said: "A coroner's inquest is on-going and it would be inappropriate to comment further.

"Our main efforts at the moment is to care for Col Quinn's family at this distressing time."

The spokesman added that Col Quinn was working in the pay section of the Adjutant-General's Corps in Worthy Down in Hampshire. He was responsible for issuing pay-cheques to Army personnel. It was rumoured he was about to be promoted to brigadier with a £70,000-a-year salary.

Col Quinn was educated in Scotland and Glasgow University before joining the army 27 years ago.

A spokesman for Thames Valley Police said an inquest would be held in the new year.

Story date: Thursday 09 December

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