RAAF trainee Alister French had chilli sprinkled in eyes and was torched and choked in 45-minute hazing ritual

A former RAAF recruit has launched an extraordinary $1m compensation claim against defence chiefs after claiming he was tortured, choked and slapped in the face by a fellow trainee in a sordid hazing ritual.

A former military recruit is suing the Australian Defence Force for more than $1m after claiming fellow cadets “turkey slapped” him and set him alight using deodorant and a cigarette lighter in a harrowing hazing ritual.

Alister French, 25, has lodged a statement of claim against the Department of Defence in the NSW Supreme Court, alleging he was tortured by fellow trainees in a 45-minute ordeal that has left him suffering with severe PTSD.

Mr French, who was 21 and training to become a mechanic with the Royal Australian Air Force, was filmed writhing in agony, his mouth and hands and feet bound with duct tape, as craftsman Ethan Leslie shook chilli powder into his eyes, slapped his naked penis into his face and chest, lit the spray of deodorant with a lighter against his bare skin and strangled him using plastic garbage bags, according to court documents.

No criminal charges have been laid over the incident.

The Daily Telegraph has decided not to run the full video, which contains disturbing images.

The statement of claim in the case, listed for directions on April 14, alleges that a Corporal Vaughan suggested throughout training French was a “malingerer” because of a back injury and it was his plan to “destroy” him.

The statement, which also claims damages for the impact of psychological harm his mother Lisa suffered seeing the “torture video”, claims Mr French was bullied while in medical rehab for his back and deliberately tasked with jobs that aggravated his condition including sweeping a parade ground.

The pleading claims the corporal bragged to servicemen, after Mr French had been admitted to Karinya mental health clinic for “physical exhaustion, anxiety, depression due to workplace stressors”, that he was “glad that he put French in hospital”.

Former RAAF trainee Alister French, 25, is suing the Australian Defence Force for more than $1m after he says he suffered PTSD from a harrowing torture session while on base. Picture: Richard Dobson

Mr French was medically discharged two years into his six-year traineeship in 2021.

He has not worked since and says he suffers recurring nightmares after the incident that happened in the common room of an accommodation block at the ADF-run Latchford Barracks, near Wodonga in Victoria, in October 2020.

Speaking from his home in the NSW Hunter Valley region, Mr French said he was “a different person to when I went into the Royal (Australian) Air Force with dreams of serving my country”.

Mr French says fellow cadets allegedly assaulted him for 45 minutes. Pictured are screenshots of the video of the attack.

He also spoke about the claims he is making in the court.

“Due to the Defence Force’s negligence and misconduct, I was bullied and harassed, I believe, because of a back injury I sustained in service which flared up, I was seen as a linger (malingerer).

“I’m suing for the trauma I suffered. I was tied up and slapped with a penis about the head, had boiling water poured on me, had chilli tipped into my eyes. It burned like hell.

“The shock of it made me shut down. I didn’t call for help. I was screaming in pain.

Trainee Alistair French was 21 when fellow cadets allegedly strangled him with garbage bags. Picture: Supplied

“A lot goes on at bases in terms of hazing; recruits think they’re mucking around, but it’s not funny at all. It got out of hand.

“My ability to integrate and reconnect in society is damaged, I don’t trust people anymore, I’m hyper-vigilant and feel uncomfortable in social settings.

“And I have separation anxiety from my mum who helped me through the Defence ordeal.”

Mr French, now 25, says he suffered burns when he was torched with an aerosol can and set ablaze with a cigarette lighter. Picture: Supplied

The claim says: “He suffered sexual assault, physical assault, psychiatric injury; and psychological sequelae.”

Throughout May to December 2020, court documents say Mr French was the subject of disciplinary inquiries and hearings while on medical restrictions.

According to the documents when he returned to Latchford barracks, Craftsman Leslie allegedly tied Mr French to a chair, bound his feet and hands, and gagged his mouth with duct tape.

Mr French says that after the incident he stopped trusting people.

“(He) received a hot water kettle from Craftsman Zane Benson,” the pleading says.

“(Leslie) burned (Mr French) with boiling water, rubbed chilli paste on the first plaintiff, exposed his penis, rubbed his penis and genitals on his face and chest and administered a ‘Frosty’ (the direct and close spraying of an aerosol can on his bare skin) and strangled him with plastic garbage bags,” court documents allege.

The statement says the ADF failed to take “reasonable care” for the safety of Mr French.

Craftsman Ethan Leslie was allegedly responsible for orchestrating the “torture” session.

“There was a culture of hazing, torture, harassment and assaults perpetrated by the popular recruits on the ostracised recruits, which was known to the defendant’s staff and officers at the time or ought to have been known at the time,” it said.

“As a result of the breaches of duty by the defendant, (Mr French) has suffered loss and damage.”

Mr French’s solicitor Paul James said: “We’ve just had a Royal Commission into defence and veteran suicide. The government has begun the implementation of recommendations. “Time will tell if they have any impact on the lives of those who serve and their families”

An ADF spokesperson said: “Defence takes all allegations of unacceptable behaviour seriously, and is committed to ensuring that incidents of this nature are investigated.

“There is no place for behaviour such as this within our Defence Force.As the matter is the subject of legal proceedings, Defence is unable to provide further comment.”

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Originally published as RAAF trainee Alister French had chilli sprinkled in eyes and was torched and choked in 45-minute hazing ritual