Newsroom
A British Army soldier has been charged with rape following an investigation into an alleged sexual assault involving a female servicewoman stationed in Cyprus.
Lance Corporal Nicholas Horne, a member of the 4th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as The Highlanders, was formally charged with one count of rape on October 23, 2026, according to the Defence Serious Crime Command (DSCC).
Horne was arrested on October 19, two days after the DSCC received a report concerning the alleged rape of a woman serving with British Forces Cyprus. He remains in custody pending a court-martial hearing.
The investigation was carried out by the DSCC's major crime team in cooperation with service police.
Confirming the charge, a British Army spokesperson said the proceedings followed an investigation by the specialist military crime unit. The spokesperson also acknowledged the courage required to report sexual offences and stressed that military personnel convicted of such crimes would be discharged from service.
The DSCC, which is responsible for investigating serious offences involving members of the armed forces, has encouraged anyone affected by sexual violence within the military to come forward and report incidents.
The case comes as the UK Ministry of Defence continues efforts to address sexual violence and misconduct across the armed forces.
In 2025, the ministry announced plans to introduce specialist teams at military locations both in the UK and overseas to provide support and strengthen responses to sexual offences.
The announcement followed the publication of the Ministry of Defence's first official survey examining sexual harassment within the armed forces. Its findings showed that nearly one in 10 women serving full-time in the British military had experienced sexual assault or another form of non-consensual sexual activity during the preceding 12 months.
