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07
Oct
Investigation launched into Harrogate army college after rape and abuse claims
The Armed Forces Commissioner has launched an independent investigation into 10 military training sites, including Harrogate’s Army Foundation College.
It comes after the college made national headlines in August after fresh allegations of sexual abuse, rape and bullying.
According to the BBC investigation, which you can read here, four women who attended the training college over the past five years said the incidents happened when they were 17.
Polly Miller-Perkins, the Armed Forces Commissioner, has set up a “thematic review” into 10 military training sites in the country.
Harrogate Army Foundation College.
The review aims to look at welfare, behaviours and lived experience at the establishments and will consider written evidence from the last five years from current and former recruits, staff or family members.
The sites include the Army Foundation College, where young recruits are trained, and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, where all officers in the British Army are trained.
The other sites include:
- Army Training Centre Pirbright
- Infantry Training Centre Catterick
- Army Training Regiment Winchester
- HMS Raleigh
- Britannia Royal Naval College
- RAF Halton
- RAF College Cranwell
- Royal Marines CTC Lympstone
- Army Training Regiment (ATR) Grantham
Ms Miller-Perkins, who is a former is a former Air Commodore and served for more than 30 years in the Royal Air Force, was appointed the first ever Armed Forces Commissioner in April.
The commissioner role, which was created by the government last year, has the power to visit UK defence sites unannounced and request information from the government.
She can compile reports and command the attention of the defence secretary and Parliament regarding issues she feels need exposure.
Ms Miller-Perkin’s review of military sites is expected to be published in the new year.
Abuse claims
The Penny Pot Lane college, which is the only basic junior training site in the British Army for recruits under the age of 18, has been dogged by allegations of abuse and bullying in recent years despite being praised by Ofsted.
Since the Stray Ferret launched in 2020, we have regularly reported on allegations of sexual misconduct and violence towards the teenagers — which you can read about here.
A spokesperson for the MoD told the Stray Ferret in March 2025, after our investigations into sexual harassment and misogyny:
There is no place for bullying, harassment or discrimination in the military. This Government is totally committed to making the reforms that are needed to stamp out inappropriate behaviour and hold people to account.
Some important changes have been introduced, including a zero-tolerance policy on sexual harassment, establishing the Victim Witness Care Unit, and powerful sanctions to deal with unacceptable behaviour. But we recognise there is much more to do.
Our government is creating the first ever Armed Forces Commissioner - a new independent champion with the power to investigate these matters - and Minister Al Carns will lead a fresh programme of work to give this issue the proper attention and focus it deserves.
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