Army instructors found guilty of bullying recruits

A MILITARY court found two ex-corporals guilty of abuse of authority and ill-treating recruits at the Viator army base (Almeria).

The men were instructors for young men and women hoping to join the Spanish Legion. Regulations expressly barred “violent methods or humiliating language” during their training period.

However, in January 2006 the men bullied, struck and insulted two recruits identified with the pseudonyms of “Veronica” and “Oscar.”

“Veronica” was punched because her shirt was wrongly buttoned and although not injured she felt humiliated and physically threatened, the court heard.

She was also punched for falling behind when doing laps. Later she was hit on the back, chest and thighs and on another occasion one of the men threatened to sodomise her.

“Oscar” received similar treatment including a blow from a rifle butt.

He, too, was repeatedly kicked, punched, insulted and at one time reduced to tears.

One former corporal was imprisoned for two years and the other for three months.

By Linda Hall