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British Lance Corporal ‘raped woman serving with UK forces in Cyprus’
A British Army lance corporal has been charged with raping a woman serving in British Forces Cyprus. The allegation is being investigated by the Defence Serious Crime Command with Service Police partners; the charge does not establish guilt.
Nicholas Horne, of the 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland, was arrested on 19 October and charged on 23 October. He has been remanded in custody pending a court-martial hearing. The case comes amid wider scrutiny of sexual misconduct in the armed forces, including a survey cited in the article in which nearly two-thirds of women respondents reported lewd behaviour by colleagues.
In short
- A British soldier has been charged with rape in Cyprus.
- He is being held pending a court-martial hearing.
- The case comes amid scrutiny of sexual misconduct in the forces.
Explained simply
British Forces Cyprus is the name for the UK military presence on the island, which includes bases and personnel serving there. Service members are subject to military law as well as the laws that apply where they are based.
A lance corporal is a junior rank in the British Army, and the Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry regiment. Alleged offences by service personnel can be investigated by military police and, if charged, heard at a court-martial.
The case sits within wider attention to reports of sexual misconduct in the armed forces. Surveys of service personnel have been used to assess how common unwanted behaviour is, but they do not determine the facts of any individual case.