Sex abuse claims at Army college with recruits aged just 16
An Army college for 16year-old male and female recruits is embroiled in an abuse scandal, including sexual assault charges against its instructors.
The Army Foundation College (AFC) at Harrogate is where Britain’s youngest soldiers – who are too young to be sent to the front line – are introduced to military life.
Their training is controversial as while the Army considers them old enough to handle weapons and ammunition, their age prevents them from watching the most violent films at the cinema or voting in elections.
According to campaign group ForcesWatch, the uK is the only country in europe which routinely recruits people under 18, which has been criticised by the united nations Committee on the rights of the Child.
The Daily Mail can reveal an instructor at the college has been charged with more than 20 offences, including at least five alleged sexual assaults. His alleged victims were 16-year-old girls. The corporal is also understood to have been charged with harassment after a female instructor complained about his conduct towards her.
He is to appear before a court martial in January 2023. Another member of staff is expected to face a military trial after being charged with assault. The Daily Mail understands a number of similar complaints are being reviewed by service and civilian police officers.
Last night, the Ministry of Defence said it was not prepared to release any information for fear of jeopardising investigations. Should some be found guilty, the Army could be forced to close the historic college – established in 1947 as the Army Apprentices School.
Last year, a coalition of 20 human rights organisations urged defence ministers to stop the practice of recruiting children. Figures released in October 2021 showed one in every five new recruits was under 18.
In recent years instructors have been accused by families of recruits of offences including bullying. They also challenged the watchdog Ofsted for rating the college ‘outstanding’.
However, the number of investigations and charges may reflect the concerns of top brass over the training of children, in particular 16-year-old girls who are being introduced to the rigours of infantry training while living away from home for the first time. Defence sources claim the bar for misconduct charges, in particular sexual offences, has been set too low.
In March 2018 charges brought by the Special Investigation Branch against 16 instructors collapsed after grave irregularities in the police probe were revealed. A court martial judge accused service police of not investigating ‘fairly or objectively’. Legal issues included the defendants not being asked for statements until years after the alleged abuse – by which time evidence which could have supported them was lost. Military detectives also failed to interview key eyewitnesses.
In the most recent cases, the male corporal is understood to have been charged with sexual assault after carrying a 16-yearold female recruit in a fireman’s lift. Another count of the same offence apparently relates to him touching a female recruit as she climbed through a barbed wire fence.
Last night, the MOD said: ‘There is no place for any form of unacceptable behaviour in the Army and we recognise the great courage it takes to come forward and report any offence.
‘We are aware of a number of alleged incidents, some of which are historical, at Army Foundation College Harrogate. These are being investigated. Those who are guilty of wrongdoing will be held accountable for their actions. It would be inappropriate to comment further.’
‘Corporal charged with 20 offences’