Two soldiers sexually assaulted drunk female colleague who they treated like a rag doll then boasted about it on WhatsApp, court hears
Two British Army soldiers sexually attacked a drunken female colleague before their victim claimed she was treated like a rag doll, a court martial heard.
Two British Army soldiers sexually attacked a drunken female colleague before their victim claimed she was treated like a rag doll, a court martial heard.
Laughing Lance Corporal Matthew Platt and Lance Corporal Ryan Hamlet are alleged to have treated the woman like a puppet as she drifted in and out of consciousness.
After a party at an army base, the female soldier woke to find LCpl Platt raping her and LCpl Hamlet trying to force himself onto her at the same time, the hearing was told.
The two are said to have sent a string of messages to a WhatsApp group of fellow British Army soldiers, including photographs and video in the minutes leading up to the alleged attack.
One was a picture of the woman, the court heard.
Lance Corporal Matthew Platt (left) and Lance Corporal Ryan Hamlet (right) are alleged to have sexually attacked a drunken female colleague, a court martial has heard
Another reply read, whos joining the club? while a third said, I want a pic when you are using her as a puppet.
Later, a text sent by one of the soldiers accused of the sex attack said: She is bailing #tieherdown.
The court martial heard there was then a three-hour gap when no messages were sent, before a text in the early hours, saying well, that was so crazy.
The alleged victim - who was branded a wild one by colleagues - took four years to report the incident because she didnt think the Army would take it seriously, it was suggested.
When she eventually did make a complaint, the court heard LCpl Hamlet texted LCpl Platt saying: Delete all messages.
LCpl Platt of the Armoured Trials and Development Unit denies rape, while LCpl Hamlet of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment denies one charge of attempted rape.
Opening the trial at Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, Rachel Beckett said the incident took place at MOD Lyneham, in Chippenham.
The court heard the alleged victim - who cannot be named for legal reasons - had been attending a course at the same venue as LCpl Platt and Cpl Hamlet, who were enrolled on a vehicle mechanics course.
On the evening of the alleged attack she played snooker and then attended a party.
After alcohol had run out, she went to an accommodation room with the two defendants and recalls all three of them drinking, Ms Beckett said.
Then it gets really blurry, as she was really drunk.
As soon as she get into the room she remembered feeling it was awkward.
The court heard she then had snippets of little memories as she recalled having no top on, just in a bra, in the bed.
100 per cent she said to both defendants to stop and get off her, she said.
She had given up and zoned out.
LCpl Platt was on top of her raping her. She thought Cpl Hamlet was next to LCpl Platt, naked, with his penis out.
She remembers LCpl Hamlet grabbing her head like she was a rag doll.
Ms Beckett told the court the woman recalled how both of them were laughing with no clothes on while she felt really out of it.
LCpl Platt of the Armoured Trials and Development Unit denies rape, while LCpl Hamlet of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment denies one charge of attempted rape. Pictured: Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire
She said she felt horror and shock and shame, she added.
She remembered coming around again, she got out of bed and put her clothes on and went back to her bed.
Ms Beckett said a WhatsApp chat was made for the course LCpl Platt and LCpl Hamlet were on and a flurry of messages and photos were posted to it that night.
Those messages go on from 11.08pm to to 11.53pm, Ms Beckett said.
There are more images sent including video just after midnight to 12.35am.
There are photographs and comments and then a break of nearly three hours, because the next message at 3.21am is well that was so crazy and further images.
The Crowns case is those messages shes not interested and wants to leave and the gap, allowed the defendants sufficient time to continue drinking and commit the offences.
The court heard when the woman went back to work after the incident there were comments about how she had engaged in a threesome with those two lads.
Ms Beckett said people spoke and laughed about it to the extent it seemed to her thats how things were being dealt with at the time in the Army.
The woman eventually told friends she had been taken advantage of, but initially did not want to report it to police.
The court was told her colleague heard from a superior officer of LCpl Platt and LCpl Hamlet that [she]s a wild one isnt she? after two of the lads on his course had ended up shagging her.
The woman made a complaint in January 2022, and LCpl Platt and LCpl Hamlet were both arrested in August that year.
The court heard on the day of his arrest, LCpl Hamlet messaged LCpl Platt saying: Delete all messages and call logs.
During his police interview, it was heard LCpl Platt denied knowing the woman or that any sexual activity had occurred.
In his two interviews, LCpl Hamlet also denied any sexual activity or taking part in a threesome.
However, he did admit telling LCpl Platt to delete messages off his phone, but claimed it was because he was his friend and was going to be arrested.
The court heard when the woman went back to work after the incident there were comments about how she had engaged in a threesome with those two lads
Ms Beckett said: Both defendants were involved in this incident with [the woman].
She was in a vulnerable state due to drink.
LCpl Platt raped her and LCpl Hamlet attempted to rape her.
This is supported by chat and photos - both defendants deleted those messages from their phone.
In a video recorded interview with police, the tearful woman said: I said stop it, get off me. I remember them having a laugh with each other.
I was so out of it that I couldnt even sit up - to say them words was hard.
I cant remember, I was just lying like a rag doll, I was so drunk.
It was kind of like I gave up because I was laid down. It was easier.
I feel like I was just a rag doll - like limp.
The trial continues.
