Two former soldiers acquitted of raping a colleague who later killed herself.

[KindDogsTail]

Cpl Ellement died at Bulford Barracks in Wiltshire on October 9 2011, two years after alleging that she had been raped while stationed in Sennelager, Germany.

A seven-strong board of civil servants and senior military officers at Bulford Court Martial Centre found both Fulton and Jones not guilty of two charges of raping Cpl Ellement.

Am I right in thinking this was a military court? If so is it the right place for a rape trial? I feel uneasy.

The military trial will be in addition to a criminal trial - if there's enough evidence for the criminal trial. It must be so hard to try people for rape when the victim is no longer there though.
Soldiers will often get punished 'twice' for crimes. Once by the judicial system and once by the army.

That is interesting Iris - I did not know that and the news story did not explain it.

Apparently even the military trial would not have happened if the girls family had not been so persistent.

Without meaning to query this particular case one way or another, I feel concerned in a more general way that a military court could be prejudiced and want to acquit their own.

Sorry Iris reading what you said again

The military trial will be in addition to a criminal trial

Does this mean there was a criminal trial first? The news did not mention a previous criminal trial.

I don't know if there was a criminal trial - there might not have been, but that would be the prosecution services decision.

But the army must have thought it required investigation?

This case is so sad though.

Thanks for the information, Iris.

I think the army only thought so after persistence from the girl's parents.
His [the judge's] comments came following a lengthy fight for justice by Cpl Ellement's family, as the case was initially dismissed in 2010.

Read more: www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/acquitted-ex-soldiers-criticised-by-judge-for-disgraceful-behaviour-1-7864134#ixzz46SJ4grcs