Female soldier accused of ‘straddling and humping’ fellow recruit and ‘poking her breasts’ is cleared

A female British Army soldier accused of “straddling and humping” a fellow recruit while making sexual noises has been cleared of all charges.

Private Heather Seward-Douglas had allegedly jumped on the “shocked” woman, “trapped” her as she lay on the floor of their barracks and made "thrusting" movements, a military court heard.

The 24-year-old was also said to have repeatedly pushed and “poked” her colleague's breasts as they queued for food together and put her finger “up her bottom” as she did press ups.

Pte Seward-Douglas denied two charges of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind and two further charges of battery, claiming it was all part of “mutual horseplay” as they “bullied the hell out of each other”.

On Thursday, she hugged a friend after a board of military officers found her not guilty of all charges at the court martial.

Opening the trial at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, William Peters had said the alleged offences took place shortly after the two women started basic training.

"Three weeks after meeting Pte Seward-Douglas, the complainant complained to her platoon commander, saying the defendant had mistreated her."

The court heard the woman claimed she was doing press ups fully clothed when the first incident happened.

Mr Peters continued: "The defendant entered the room and for reasons known only to her, went over and in the complainant's words 'popped her finger up my bum'.

"She was taken completely by surprise and exclaimed for her to stop."

The court heard the allegation in the second disgraceful conduct charge occurred following a charity walk and the “exhausted” complainant lay on the floor afterwards.

Pte Seward-Douglas was said to have proceeded to “straddle and hump” her colleague, “making sexual noises” as she did so.

Regarding the battery charges, Mr Peters said: "These tended to happen in the queue for food.

"The defendant would approach her and poke or touch her breasts.

"When she protested, the defendant would say, 'It's okay, you've got a sports bra on'.

"On occasion, and out of frustration, the complainant would push her back, but this was out of anger and not part of a game.

"The defendant says charges one and two simply didn't happen and any touching or pushing referred to in charges three and four was part of a mutual horseplay and not carried out as alleged by the complainant."

In her police interview, which was read to the court, Pte Seward-Douglas said: "We were all a bit wacky.

"We had a great laugh, we used to bully the hell out of each other - absolutely tear each other to shreds.

"I never went onto her and thrust on her because it sounds like I dry humped her and I would never do that.

"She's trying to accuse me of doing things, taken way out of proportion, that we all did to each other."

Defending, Nicholas Askins said Pte Seward-Douglas accepted the “play fighting” of breast touching and pushing, but said it had “never been done with any great force”.