TWO Army instructors accused of bullying a soldier at a training centre may face a court martial, it was revealed last night.

The Army Prosecuting Authority will decide whether there is sufficient evidence for a case to proceed after Private Darren Jacques claimed he had been hit over the head with a golf club and half-strangled by one of his trainers at Catterick Garrison, in North Yorkshire.

The 18-year-old, who was assigned to the Parachute Regiment, was medically discharged from the Army last July.

He has told military police that the trainers beat him before grabbing him by the throat until he passed out.

It is also alleged he was forced to swallow hot chilli sauce until he vomited.

The alleged incidents are said to have taken place in March and April last year.

The two instructors have been suspended from training recruits at the infantry training centre (ITC) until the matter has been concluded.

The Special Investigations Branch of the Royal Military Police has carried out an investigation into the allegations and the case has been referred to the Army Prosecu- ting Authority.

The authority, which was set up in 1997, is independent of the military chain of command.

Officials will decide whether there is sufficient evidence, and it is in the public interest, for the case to proceed to a court martial.

Lieutenant Colonel Philip Jennings, Chief of Staff at the School of Infantry, confirmed last night that an investigation into the allegations had taken place.

He said: "It involved members of training staff at the infantry training centre.

"They are members of the Parachute Regiment. The matter is with the Army Prosecuting Authority and we are, therefore, unable to make any comment."

Bullying in the Army became prominent following the deaths of four soldiers, including Private Geoff Gray, of Seaham, County Durham, at Deepcut barracks, in Surrey.

A report by the Defence Select Committee, after the deaths, concluded the Ministry of Defence had given "insufficient weight to the issue of bullying".

Army chiefs at ITC Catterick have been working with families to combat the issue of bullying and recently held a meeting with the Daniel's Trust and Forces Helpline, two organisations set up to help soldiers who allege they are being bullied.

The centre has a zero tolerance approach to bullying.

Lynn Farr, of the Daniel's Trust, said last night: "These new allegations show bullying could still be happening at Catterick.

"It is unacceptable. The trust is often contacted by soldiers in similar situations.

"If they are being bullied, they have got to come forward and tell somebody. If they feel they can't talk to anybody on the base, they can contact us and we can speak on their behalf.

"The trust has already held a meeting with Army officials at the infantry training centre and we are working together to combat the problem."

In August, the Ministry of Defence launched an inquiry after the BBC screened footage that appeared to show Catterick recruits hooded and forced into humiliating poses.

The following month, it was revealed a soldier had been suspended after Americk Hayer, 17, claimed he was beaten so badly by a corporal it left his eyeball hanging out.

He alleged the incident happened on the final day of basic training at the ITC.