Police are investigating claims that a young Marine was badly beaten and subjected to “disgusting” acts during an initiation ceremony at a Scottish base.
The 20-year-old maintains he was severely assaulted by colleagues, forced to eat human excrement and drink urine before being beaten about the body with footwear, according to a source at RM Condor, home of 45 Commando, near Arbroath.
His attackers were in disguise in order to conceal their identities, the source said.
The man was so traumatised by his ordeal he reported the incident to police in person last Wednesday [23rd]. The Tayside force has since referred the claims to Ministry of Defence police, who have launched an inquiry.
The allegations will raise fresh concerns over bullying in the Forces. A review carried out in the wake of the death of four young soldiers at the Deepcut barracks in Surrey between 1995 and 2002 concluded there was a culture of humiliation and abuse.
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The source said the marine had been through a “terrible time”. He said: “They wore masks so he wouldn’t recognise them but I’m told he is able to identify one of them and has told the police who he is. He went to Tayside Police because he thought if he just reported it to the MoD it would be swept under the carpet.”
The source said the man was struck with shoes, although there have been other claims it was slippers.
He added: “My understanding is he was badly bruised and the police have taken photographs of his injuries and taken statements, so it’s all on record. The MoD won’t be able to keep this quiet.”
A spokesman for Tayside Police said: “We can confirm that a 20-year-old man attended at Arbroath Police Station at about 9.20pm on Wednesday, June 23, and made a complaint, which was subsequently referred to the MoD.”
An MoD police spokesman confirmed the matter had been passed to them and stressed that it was civilian police officers, who operate outside the military chain of command, who will be dealing with the complaint.
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Lieutenant Colonel Oliver Lee, Commanding Officer 45 Commando Royal Marines, said: “I am aware that a marine from 45 Commando made a complaint to Tayside police last week.
“The alleged incident is now under investigation by the MoD police, and together we are determined to get to the bottom of it.
“I have an absolute zero tolerance policy to indiscipline or unacceptable behaviour in 45 Commando.”
David Fairweather, a local councillor who has recently played the role of peacemaker between the marines and the local community, said he was “extremely surprised” to hear of the allegations.
He said: “If this has happened then it’s an absolute disgrace.
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“Just last year I was down at one of their training camps and the camaraderie among them was tremendous, that’s why I am very surprised if it has happened. But if a young person has gone in there and made a complaint, I would never suggest that he’s not telling the truth.
“I just hope this isn’t a case of the bad old days of these things happening. I know that (Commanding Officer) Lieutenant Colonel Lee will not tolerate anything like that at all.”
Clive Fairweather, who as Commanding Officer of the King’s Own Scottish Borderers in the 1980s carried out a high profile crackdown on initiation bullying, said: “This does not just happen in the military, it happens everywhere you get men and boys. It is more persistent in the military than in other jobs because they are together 24 hours – they don’t get to go home at the end of the day.”
Mr Fairweather welcomed the investigation, and said that anybody found to have been involved in abuse should be thrown out of the Forces. “I am sure the matter will be investigated thoroughly by the Marines,” he said.