Harrogate army instructors 'made recruits eat animal manure' Published duration 21 September 2017

image copyright Geograph/robert murray image caption The instructors were based at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate

Ten army instructors have appeared in court charged with physically abusing recruits during a training camp.

Recruits from the Army Foundation College, Harrogate, claim they were punched, grabbed by the throat and spat on at the camp in Scotland in 2014.

Some instructors are alleged to have held junior soldiers' heads under water or made them eat animal manure.

The instructors denied charges, including battery, at Bulford Court Martial Centre on Thursday.

The non-commissioned officers face a total of 29 charges - 23 of ill-treatment and six of battery - relating to events said to have taken place over a nine-day period at the Dundrennan Barracks, near Kirkcudbright in Dumfries and Galloway, in June 2014.

The men will face trial in February, with another six due to appear at the Wiltshire military court on Friday facing similar charges.

Assistant Judge Advocate General Alan Large released the defendants on unconditional bail.

The defendants are:

Sgt Simon Girault, of 1st Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers - accused of four charges of battery and three of ill-treatment

Staff Sgt Steven Harrison, of 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery - one charge of battery and one of ill-treatment

Sgt Thomas Bryan, of 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment - one charge of battery and one of ill-treatment

Staff Sgt Brian Crawford, of 152 (North Irish) Regiment, Royal Logistic Corps - six charges of ill-treatment

Cpl Andrew Armitage, of 156 Regiment, The Royal Logistic Corps - one charge of ill-treatment

Sgt Mark Graham, of the HQ Defence Food Services School, Royal Logistic Corps - four charges of ill-treatment

Acting Sgt Steven Duncan, of 1st Battalion Scots Guards - four charges of ill-treatment

Acting Sgt Daniel Royle, of 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment - one charge of ill-treatment

Cpl Anthony Thomas, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment - one charge of ill-treatment

Acting Sgt Robert Comley, of The Queen's Dragoon Guards - one charge of ill-treatment