Marines jailed for depraved initiation

A JUDGE slammed four sailors for putting new recruits through a '˜depraved' initiation ceremony '“ saying it had '˜no place in the Royal Marines'.
By The Newsroom
Published 16th May 2016, 19:45 BST
Updated 16th May 2016, 21:01 BST

Three of the four were jailed yesterday after victim Carlo Nicholson, a recruit who was waterboarded and made to lie in a paddling pool of vomit and urine, told how he had ‘lost faith in the brotherhood’.

A court martial heard how 25 new members of the 45 Commando were made to take part in the ‘joining run’ - which the judge described as ‘40 minutes of depravity’.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Portsmouth Military Court heard how other tasks included fighting other marines while naked and covered in cooking oil, eating chilli and cinnamon powder, eating lard, and eating dog food out of a mess tin while on all fours.

The incident in front of a crowd of 80 people happened at RM Condor in Arbroath, Scotland, on May 7, 2014, and recruits had to undertake forfeits if they failed tasks.

Judge Robert Hill, sentencing, called the training run ‘depravity’.

Marine Ian Tennet, 22, was convicted of one charge of ill-treatment of a subordinate, Mr Nicholson, after a trial and sentenced to 11 months and two weeks in detention.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Lance Corporal James Taylor, 27, and Marine Scott Simm, 26, both admitted ill-treatment of a subordinate and were jailed for eight months in a detention centre.

After a joint trial with Tennet, former Marine Ryan Logan, 25, was convicted of one charge of battery in regards to hitting Mr Nicholson with a belt.

He was also convicted of one count of disgraceful conduct of a cruel kind relating to the waterboarding but cleared of three counts of battery.

Logan was given a service community order and must complete 220 hours unpaid work within two years.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Reading from Mr Nicholson’s victim personal statement, Captain Alison Towler, prosecuting, said ‘I have completely lost my faith in the brotherhood of the corps.’

The court heard Simm had shown remorse by admitting his part. Kathy Bradshaw, defending Tennet, said he showed a ‘lack of judgement’.

Lieutenant Commander Neil MacLennan, for Taylor, said he was ‘sorry and embarrassed’ while Fiona Edington, for Logan, argued her client had only arrived ‘when things had already started’.