Royal Navy probing claims of marine 'beasting' initiations at Trident base

Reports of up to 12 young commandos forced to take part in brutal 'initiation ceremonies' at Faslane naval base

Faslane, on the River Clyde, is the home of Britain’s fleet of Trident nuclear submarines (Getty Images)

Claims that Royal Marines guarding Britain’s nuclear submarine base in Scotland were forced to take part in brutal “initiation ceremonies” by fellow recruits are being investigated by the Royal Navy Police.

Up to 12 young commandos at Faslane naval base were forced to do 100 press-ups while another person sat on their back as a “rite of passage”, The Times reported. Faslane, on the River Clyde, is the home of Britain’s fleet of Trident nuclear submarines.

A spokesman for the Royal Navy said the Naval Service and Royal Navy Police were looking into the allegations. “We do not tolerate any form of harassment or bullying and take all allegations very seriously. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time,” he added.

In the armed forces abusive physical punishment, which is against military law, is often referred to as “beasting”. Earlier this month, a pre-inquest hearing was held into the death of Cheryl James, one of four soldiers to die at Deepcut barracks in Surrey between 1995 and 2002 amid claims of bullying and abuse.

The court heard that 18-year-old Ms James, who was found with a bullet wound to her head in 1995, may have been sexually exploited or raped by members of the senior ranks shortly before she died. A fresh inquest into her death is due to begin on 1 February.

On Saturday The Independent revealed how bullying, rape and sexual assaults were allegedly commonplace at Deepcut. Almost 60 allegations of such incidents taking place in 1995 were made to Surrey Police by former recruits during an investigation in 2002 and 2003.