Humiliation of female soldier manhandled in raid on her home
AN ARMY officer who won plaudits for her service in Kosovo and Iraq was left humiliated after she was physically restrained during a raid in her own home.
Rachel Webster was arrested at dawn months after declining to give a witness statement to civilian investigators probing allegations against a former colleague.
She was left shocked and humiliated by her treatment at the hands of officials acting on behalf of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team, who never charged her with any offence.
Miss Webster, 48, who won repeated praise from commanders during her 24-year Army career, was said to have been roughly treated by officials. She is thought to have alleged that her breasts were briefly exposed in the tussle, and that she was later denied access to a toilet.
She told a friend her treatment was ‘tantamount to being kidnapped by the state’.
Miss Webster, now pursuing a high-flying civilian career in finance, is thought to have received around £5,000 in compensation from the Ministry of Defence after her ordeal. It is believed to be the first payout of its kind from the MoD to any veterans or serving personnel affected by the probe.
Miss Webster was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and detained for hours, but was released without charge. A source close to the probe told the Daily Telegraph her arrest in 2014 appeared to be linked to gathering evidence against her former colleague.
Originally from Brigg in Lincolnshire, Miss Webster joined the Royal Military Police in 1988 and was deployed around the world, doing harrowing work in warzones.
In 1999, while a corporal serving in central Kosovo, she was given an award by the commander of British forces in the country for her work in maintaining law and order.
She was also praised for working with girls and young women who had been raped to identify their attackers. Four years later, as a sergeant in Iraq, she helped lead a project to rebuild a bomb-damaged school for girls in Basra and was congratulated by Tony Blair, then prime minister. At the time, she said: ‘It’s my hobby, it takes my mind off my day job, gathering criminal intelligence about the looting, kidnapping and murder.’
Miss Webster rose to the rank of captain but left the Army in 2013. She said in a statement: ‘Since my arrest I have waited over two years to clear my name. Justice does prevail but at what cost!’ An MoD source said Miss Webster was restrained, but denied she was prevented from using a toilet.
The source said her arrest was not related to a probe into her comrade, but was part of a separate investigation.
Tory MP Johnny Mercer, a former soldier, said: ‘I am ashamed that the Government and MoD is continuing to treat soldiers who have served this country in this manner.’
A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: ‘A compensation claim made following an arrest in 2014 has been settled.’