Soldier jailed for sex attack

A SOLDIER has been jailed for 15 months for a sex attack on a teenager at Deepcut Barracks in Surrey.

Private Jason Hutchins, 22, used his greater strength to force himself on his 18-year-old male victim, Guildford Crown Court was told. The attack happened in October last year after both soldiers, who were in the Royal Logistic Corps, had been drinking.

Mr Michael Rutherford, prosecuting, said they were effectively drunk and ended up staying in the victim’s quarters where others were also sleeping.He said the teenager woke in the early hours to find Hutchins assaulting him.

Edward Agbaje, defending, said all Hutchins could remember was being woken up and taken to the guardroom after the victim reported the attack.

Surrey Police have reopened an investigation into four deaths of soldiers at the barracks after reports of a culture of bullying and sexual harassment.

Police are today questioning a man after soldier Andrew Dobson, 23, was found strangled in his barracks at Marchwood, near Southampton.

With acknowledgements to Graham Keeley.