DOZENS of Army recruit training instructors have been court martialled or faced severe disciplinary action, figures reveal.
More than 160 allegations, including the abuse of rookies, fighting, theft, drug-taking and downloading obscene images, were made at four centres.
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Teaching staff are responsible for recruits as young as 16.
The official figures, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, relate to incidents since 2015.
The Infantry Training Centre in Catterick, North Yorks, has had at least 49 instructors court martialled or disciplined for assaults, theft and drug abuse.
Instructors at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, where the youngest soldiers are trained, faced 38 charges.
Recruits claimed they were kicked, punched and forced to take part in initiation ceremonies.
Some said they were threatened with violence if they complained.
A probe in 2018 led to 16 instructors being charged, but the court martial collapsed after a judge ruled the investigation was flawed.
The MoD said: “Anyone who falls below standards can expect to be disciplined.”
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