A unit at RAF Honington that was allegedly involved in a ‘sexual assault’ has been disbanded pending an investigation.

It was revealed over the weekend how the Daily Mail obtained a video of an incident where an airman was sexually assaulted with a piece of mortar equipment.

A number of officers have been removed from the immediate chain of command without prejudice pending the findings of a police investigation and the unit involved, the Support Weapons Flight has been disbanded with immediate effect.

Speaking in a video statement Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said, “I will be very clean; that behaviour has no place in the Royal Air Force”.

He went on to say “The RAF Police Special Investigation Branch is now investigating the incident, and the victims have been offered our full support”.

A service inquiry has also begun to help understand what in the force’s leadership culture has allowed the incident to happen.

Sir Wigston added, “In addition to the potential prosecution of those directly involved, I stand ready to impost the severest sanctions available to me should we find that any part fo the Chain of Command neglected its responsibility to protect the welfare of our people or uphold the ethos, values and standards of our service”.

Speaking in the House of Commons Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told MPs today he was ‘appalled’ by reports of the incident.