Ten defendants deny charges of ill-treatment and battery of 12 recruits at Army Foundation College in Harrogate

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Ten army instructors have appeared in court accused of physically abusing teenage recruits at a military college.



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 in the summer of 2014.

It is alleged the defendants, who are all sergeants or corporals, ill-treated 12 recruits while instructors at the Army Foundation College (AFC). They deny the charges.

The victims are said to have been slapped or punched in the face and spat at, grabbed by the throat, had their faces submerged in mud or ordered to eat animal manure.

Based in Harrogate, North Yorkshire, the AFC trains young people to become junior soldiers for the various corps and regiments of the army.

On Thursday, the defendants spoke only to confirm their names and enter their not guilty pleas during a preliminary hearing at the court martial centre in Bulford, Wiltshire.

Their court martial will begin on 12 February and is due to last about four weeks. Assistant judge advocate general Alan Large released the defendants on unconditional bail.



The defendants are Sgt Simon Girault, SSgt Steven Harrison, Sgt Thomas Bryan, SSgt Brian Crawford, Cpl Andrew Armitage, Sgt Mark Graham, Acting Sgt Steven Duncan, Acting Sgt Daniel Royle, Cpl Anthony Thomas, and Acting Sgt Robert Comley.