Alec Burns and Nick Lane at Catterick Court Martial Centre

Alec Burns and Nick Lane have successfully defended 2 soldiers against charges of disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind, and conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline. The 4 day trial at Catterick Court Martial Centre involved behaviour that the prosecution described as a deliberate attempt to bully and humiliate a fellow recruit, and featured allegations that the defendants’ behaviour had been recorded on a mobile telephone and widely distributed. The defence case was that the alleged incidents had never happened, but if they had the defendants had played no part in them. Both defendants were acquitted of all 3 charges, Nick’s client being acquitted of 2 of those at the close of the prosecution case. The defendants both earlier pleaded guilty to a linked single offence of common assault, and will be sentenced in the New Year. Alec and Nick were both instructed by Mr Mark Harrison of Hay & Kilner Solicitors (Wallsend office).