British Army crisis as more than 300 soldiers court-martialled for abuse | UK | News

Shocking new figures show more than 300 instructors at British Army training institutions have been court-martialed or face serious disciplinary action for abusing recruits, theft and drug use. Figures disclosed in a freedom of information (FOI) request, Mail on SundayIt shows how soldiers assigned to train new troops were accused of violence and sickening initiation ceremonies.

New recruits to the British Army can be as young as 16; This means that they are classified as children during education; Trainers are often chosen specifically for this role due to their experience and competence. But the figures detail serious cases of abuse, including kicking, punching, verbal tirades and child pornography. It is understood that most of the crimes took place at Army Foundation College Harrogate, where 16-year-old recruits are trained.

Other facilities such as Army Training Center Pirbright, Army Training Regiment Winchester and Infantry Training Center Catterick have also seen crimes recorded between 2015 and 2025.

The statement was described as ‘disgusting’ by a former senior official.

Philip Ingram, a former Army Colonel and Intelligence Officer, told the Mail on Sunday: “These figures show there has been systematic abuse of recruits over many years and it is disgusting.

“The military says they are dealing with inappropriate behavior in the services, but the reality tells a different story.

“It’s time for the military to stop doing its homework and have a truly independent body that can investigate allegations of inappropriate behavior and ensure that the policies put in place to stop it are properly implemented, because that’s not what it is at the moment.”

Another FOI revealed that more than 186 recruits self-harmed during basic training.

The revelations came the same week it emerged that two British Army instructors who had sex with a young soldier had been jailed and expelled from the army.

Lance Sergeant Antony Pugh, 36, and Sergeant Connor Forgan, 32, boasted to each other about their sexual relationship with the 17-year-old trainee.

A military court in Bulford, Wiltshire, heard the two men each had separate sexual encounters with the new member, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

Pugh and Forgan were instructors at the infantry training center in Catterick, North Yorkshire, where the attack took place.

Both denied the accusation of sexual intercourse with the child by a trusted person, but were convicted by a military court after a trial last year.

The court heard Pugh, a member of the Grenadier Guards, and Forgan, who served in the Welsh Guards, were veterans of the conflict in Afghanistan.

Prosecutor Commander Edward Hannah told the court: “He has chosen not to give the victim’s personal statement and wishes to waive these matters.”

Commander Hannah said both defendants displayed a level of planning when committing the crimes and were in positions of trust due to their rank.

“The hierarchical structure of the military places power in rank, especially in training facilities,” he said.

In a separate case, two senior officers were announced to be facing a court-martial over their actions in handling the complaint of a female soldier who committed suicide after being sexually assaulted by her superior.

An MOD spokesman said: “There is no room for bullying, harassment, discrimination or abuse within Defence.

“We encourage any staff member who believes they have been subjected to or witnessed unacceptable behavior to actively report it. All allegations of unacceptable behavior are taken extremely seriously and thoroughly investigated. If proven, action will be taken quickly.

“We systematically address issues of harassment, discrimination and abuse through the Raising Our Standards (ROS) programme, which aims to tackle unacceptable behaviour, strengthen complaints processes and promote a culture of respect and accountability.”