And one former officer says male rapes are 'pretty routine' and 'predictable'

Figures reveal at least 25 alleged sexual assaults in Army over two years

One case saw troop targeted by seven others

Shocking new figures show that rape and sexual attacks are commonplace in the British armed forces - with one soldier reporting an 'assault by penetration' at the hands of seven colleagues.

The appalling incident, which reportedly took place last February, involved a 20-year-old soldier being targeted by a gang of troops aged 21 to 33.

According to data obtained by The Times, there were at least three reported rapes and 22 sexual assaults between men across the armed forces over a two-year period to October.

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Shocking: According to data obtained by The Times, there were at least three reported rapes and 22 sexual assaults between men across the armed forces over a two-year period to October

One former officer admits troops have been known to use sexual assaults as a method of intimidation.

Major Ross McLeod said servicemen use penetration of fellow soldiers with an object such as a broom handle as a way of bullying - and claimed he was not surprised by the figures.

Speaking to The Times, he said: 'Sexual assault and male rape are, unfortunately, pretty routine Army bullying tactics.

The former officer believes the way in which the military investigates matters internally is to blame - as this breeds fear and mistrust among those wronged.

In turn, he says, the crimes continue to take place with the offenders rarely being brought to justice.

He added: 'The military culture, which has been perpetuated and protected since time immemorial... is one in which these attacks are neither surprising or appalling, but rather entirely predictable.'

Bullying tactic: One former officer admits troops have been known to use sexual assault to intimidate

In another shameful incident alleged to have taken place in May, a serviceman, aged 28, was attacked and again assaulted by penetration by a gang of seven colleagues, aged 20 to 26.

Last year, three soldiers, one as young as 18, were targeted and degraded by smaller gangs in the same way.

The figures were obtained by a a freedom of information request and only include data collected by the service's police forces - meaning the real figures could be much higher.

'Cover-up': Corporal Anne-Marie Ellement hanged herself two years after telling her superiors that she had been raped by colleagues

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) says it needs more time to find out whether anyone was prosecuted for the the 25 alleged assaults.

A spokesman added that there was nothing to suggest these types of incidents were any more common in the military than they are in wider society.

Earlier this year the family of a Royal Military policewoman who committed suicide after allegedly being raped by two soldiers accused the MOD of a ‘cover up’.

Corporal Anne-Marie Ellement hanged herself two years after telling her superiors that she had been raped by colleagues during a drunken night out in Germany.

Her sister, Sharon Hardy said she was 'disgusted' by the latest figures and believes the military has failed to live up to the apology they offered following the second inquest into the servicewoman's death.

The coroner found that she had been bullied by colleagues and not properly supported after making the rape claim.

Afterwards Brigadier John Donnelly, director of Army personnel services, said: ‘Our priority is to study the conclusions and then identify what further steps can be taken to help prevent a recurrence of this kind of tragedy.’