Former Harrogate army instructors face assault charges - BBC News
The 17 ex-instructors from Harrogate's Army Foundation College face 40 charges against recruits.
The 17 instructors charged with assault were based at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate

Seventeen former army instructors are due before a court martial next month charged with assaults on recruits.

The group from the Army Foundation College in Harrogate are facing 40 charges, including actual bodily harm and battery.

They are due to appear at Bulford Court Martial Centre on September 21 and 22.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed 17 former recruit instructors will face trial but refused to provide names or charges.

It said it would not be appropriate to comment further.

Col Richard Kemp, former British Army commander in Afghanistan, told the Mail on Sunday: "'This is extraordinary, I have never heard of a case of this scale.

"If these charges are proven it will certainly be detrimental to the Army from a recruiting perspective.

"But I am incredulous as well as surprised. While there must be some aggression in recruit training, what is alleged goes far beyond what is acceptable."

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