A judge has slammed the "disgraceful behaviour" and drinking culture in the armed forces as a Royal Navy officer was cleared of the rape of a drunken colleague following a training college ball.

Samuel Mitchell, who is now a sub lieutenant, had been accused of the sexual attack on a fellow officer cadet after going into her room at the Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth, Devon, following a Victory In Europe Day dinner dance on May 8 last year.

The 27-year-old showed no emotion as a panel of senior officers cleared him of two counts of rape following a four-day trial at Portsmouth Naval Base's court martial centre.