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Two Army instructors, stationed at the infantry training centre in Catterick, were sentenced and expelled from the military after engaging in sexual relations with a 17-year-old recruit. Lance Sergeant Antony Pugh, aged 36, and Sergeant Connor Forgan, 32, were found guilty by a court martial board despite their denials of the charges, which involved sexual activity with a child by individuals in positions of trust.
The court martial, held in Bulford, Wiltshire, revealed that the two men had separately formed sexual relationships with the trainee while she was undergoing training in North Yorkshire. Both Pugh, who served in the Grenadier Guards, and Forgan, a member of the Welsh Guards, were veterans of the Afghanistan conflict. Prosecuting officer Commander Edward Hannah highlighted that the offenses were premeditated to some extent and pointed out the abuse of the hierarchical power inherent in military ranks, particularly within a training environment.
Further evidence presented during the trial included communications between Pugh and Forgan, in which they exchanged degrading and disrespectful messages about the recruit. Defending counsel Rachel Beckett sought a suspended sentence for Pugh, emphasizing his stable relationship of eight years and the support of his partner. Meanwhile, Forgan’s defense, represented by Beverley Cripps, acknowledged the offensive nature of the messages exchanged between the two soldiers.
In delivering the sentence, Assistant Judge Advocate General Jane England underscored the clear prohibitions outlined by the training centre’s regulations, specifically against any fraternization between recruits and instructors. She condemned the unprofessional conduct that escalated to sexual exchanges and denounced the way the victim was described in crude and misogynistic terms. The judge stressed the severity of the power imbalance in the military setting, noting that Pugh and Forgan knowingly crossed boundaries they were well aware of, prioritizing their personal interests over their duties. Consequently, Pugh received a 20-month prison sentence, Forgan was sentenced to 16 months, and both were placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years
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