British Army corporal, 31, had sex with teen recruit, 16, after urging bosses ... trends now
A British Army corporal who had sex with a 16-year-old recruit after urging bosses to let him take charge of female trainees, has been jailed for 19 months.
Corporal Christopher Irwin, 31, invited the teenage recruit, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to his home in Oldham, Manchester, after striking up an 'inappropriate' relationship with her.
He was serving as a paratrooper and had asked his bosses if he could 'command the female section' at the Army Foundation College.
The institution in Harrogate is the Army's only training unit for youths who enlist aged 16 and 17 and is responsible for training them as soldiers.
The college has been under fire in recent years, with questions raised over safeguarding concerns.
Irwin admitted sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust and disobeying command at Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire.
He was handed a 19 month service detention and was dismissed from the forces.
for 19 months. Corporal Christopher Irwin, 31, (pictured) outside Bulford Military Court
Cpl Irwin began a consensual relationship with the teenager, 15 years his junior, after she joined Harrogate.
He later told the recruit he was 'actually in love' with her, as rumours spread across the college of their relationship, the court heard.
Following a trial in February he was cleared of two counts of intimidation relating to the recruit and her friend.
Lieutenant Lyndsey Jones, prosecuting, said details of the relationship emerged after Cpl Irwin left his post at Harrogate.
Lt Jones said: 'The rumours of inappropriate behaviours continued after he had left and in response to this, [a senior sergeant] summoned [the recruit] to her office and she asked her if she was in a
