A PAIR of sick Army instructors were today jailed for having sex with a “vulnerable” teenage recruit and exchanging “disgraceful” texts about her.
A court martial heard how Lance Sergeant Antony Pugh and Sergeant Connor Forgan “groomed” the 17-year-old during Army training.
The court heard the young recruit, who cannot be named for legal reasons, felt like she “couldn’t say no” to the men’s advances during training at Catterick in Yorkshire.
At a hearing at Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire, Assistant Judge Advocate General Jane England condemned the two friends’ actions, saying it amounted to “grooming behaviour”.
LSgt Pugh, 36, showered the girl with gifts from a lingerie and sex toy website and “bondage equipment”, the court heard.
Commander Edward Hannah, prosecuting, said after the victim cancelled plans with LSgt Pugh and told him she was tired, he went to her accommodation to have sex with her.
The prosecution argued the girl had been groomed by LSgt Pugh’s advances.
“In relation to LSgt Pugh, the gifts, you may take a view that this amounted to manipulation,” Cdr Hannah said.
“She was reluctant to have sex with him, and she felt she couldn’t say no.”
Judge England agreed LSgt Pugh had violated “a place of safety and sanctity” by turning up at the victim’s accommodation.
It is forbidden for trainers and trainees in the British Army to have sexual relations.
Both soldiers were found guilty on the charge of sexual activity with a child in breach of a position of trust.
LSgt Pugh was jailed for 20 months and Sgt Forgan was jailed for 16 months.
The court heard the men developed separate sexual relationships with the victim, exerting their position of power for their own interests.
Sgt Forgan was heard to have exchanged sexually explicit photos with the young recruit and tried to persuade her to have sex with him.
He and LSgt Pugh also exchanged offensive and derogatory messages about the victim after they had interacted with her.
Cdr Hannah argued: “In relation to Sgt Forgan, you may take a view that the sexual messages were solicited from the victim.
“In the WhatsApp messages, he describes obtaining images of the victim.
“The messages present evidence of persuasion. Sgt Forgan was persuading a reluctant victim.
“There was a deliberate attempt from Sgt Forgan to persuade the victim to have sex with him.”
The court heard they boasted she was their “naked maid” and a “little hotty” in messages.
The prosecution also said Sgt Forgan had sent LSgt Pugh a message reading: “She’s starting to pussy out, bro. She’s flipping I think. I hope she comes round.”
Judge England said the men referred to the victim “in a disgraceful, indecent and misogynistic manner”.
The judge added: “She was a 17-year-old girl and she was not deserving of this. She said she wants to move on, and we hope that she can.”
She also noted the “chilling effect” the case would have on other female recruits looking to go into combat roles.
LSgt Pugh was a member of the Grenadier Guards, the most senior infantry regiment in the British Army and had been serving in the army for 17 years.
Rachel Beckett, defending LSgt Pugh, said he had “positive references” and had an eight-year relationship with two dependent children.
Sgt Forgan was a member of the Welsh Guards, the most senior infantry regiment in Wales, and had been serving in the army for 13 years.
Beverley Cripps, defending Sgt Forgan, said he had accepted the messages he exchanged with Pugh were “disgraceful and crass”.
Both of them were dismissed from the army and placed on the sexual offender register for 10 years.
