British Army instructor sacked over ‘favours’ from female trainees

A British Army instructor has been sacked after granting female trainees “favours”.

Bombardier Elan Joseph reportedly told one trainee he would pay for her takeaway if she let him squeeze her bum.

Joseph, 36, was accused of 13 charges relating to five young female recruits.

Bdr Joseph, a married father-of-two who has served in the army for over 13 years, pleaded guilty to nine charges of contravening standing orders and prejudicial conduct.

Although a court-martial cleared him of two charges, one of sexual assault by touching and another of entering a female recruit’s room and touching her feet as she slept, he was convicted of two other charges of agreeing to let one trainee meet her partner “after bed check” in exchange of a “favour”, and another of asking one recruit to “get up and walk” so he could “look at her arse” as she wore pyjamas.

Joseph has been dismissed from the armed forces and given an 18-month community order.

Judge Advocate Alistair McGrigor said: "Initial training starts the recruits on their army career - so it is essential it remains balanced and impartial. You knew you had to be extremely careful not to cross the line between looking after the recruits and having personal relationships with them.

"In this case the recruits were young and female, and young recruits are impressionable. There were sexual connotations in your behaviour. We understand that the sentence will put you and your family at risk of deportation [to St Vincent], but your behaviour was such that you cannot remain in the service and must be dismissed."

Defending Bdr Joseph, Tom Wilkins said: "He has had an exemplary service up until now. He has two children and wishes to continue serving in the Royal Artillery - his heart is in the army. Bdr Joseph could still provide valuable service, and could be managed in a role where he is not training young recruits.

"He should be allowed to soldier on."