THREE Royal Marines have been thrown out of the military after taking part in a depraved initiation ceremony in front of shocked revellers at a nightclub, a court has heard.
The trio, along with a clubber DeVitos nightclub in Arbroath who joined in during the incident, could potentially now face jail after they admitted charges of public indecency.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard three Marines took part in the incident in the club's smoking area, which was caught on CCTV.
The court heard Luke Bowen committed the act on fellow Marines Jordan Coia and Ben James, who willing participants.
A fourth man, Craig Lynch, who is not in the military, then performed a sex act on another person during the incident.
However, despite admitting the charges nNone of the men will face being placed on the sex offenders register after the Crown accepted there was "no significant sexual element" to the crime.
Lynch, 42, of Aberdeen, James, 22, of Thirsk, North Yorkshire, Bowen, 25, of Chichester, and Coia, 22, whose addresses were given as c/o RM Condor in Arbroath, where 45 Commando Group are based, pleaded guilty on summary complaint to a charge of public indecency.
Jacob Holt, 21, Ryan Fowler, 23, Michael Byrne, 26, whose address was also given as the Angus basis, had their not guilty pleas to a charge of public indecency accepted.
Holt, Fowler and Byrne are understood to still be serving Royal Marines.
A court source said: "This is a massive embarrassment for the Marines. It's not the image they want to give off.
"Initiations of some kind have existed in the military for decades but they want to eradicate this kind of behaviour, especially when it is in public as this was."
Solicitor Nick Whelan, defending Coia, said: "This resulted in the ending of service for a number of these young men, including Mr Coia.
"What he thought would be a lifetime relationship with the military has come to an end after two-and-a-half years of service.
"The case has been hanging over these individuals and has prevented him obtaining employment as it is still pending."
Nick Markowski, defending James, said: "He was also discharged from the Royal Marines."
Lynne Sturrock, for Bowen, added: "He's been discharged and now lives with his parents."
Sheriff John Rafferty deferred sentence on the four men for social work background reports and released them on bail meantime.
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