Trial begins of two British soldiers charged with rape

Jury selection began this morning for two British soldiers accused of raping a woman while their unit was training at the Wyoming National Guard’s Camp Guernsey, in the US.

Andrew Leighton, of Leeds, and Scott Aitken, of Edinburgh, have pleaded not guilty to first-degree sexual assault. If convicted, they could be sentenced to between five and 50 years in prison.

The alleged victim contacted The Associated Press on the day charges were filed and described the July 27 incident. She said she knew Leighton and Aitken and that when they told her they were off base without leave one night, she agreed to take them to her house so they wouldn’t get in trouble.

Outside her house, she said, the men forcibly and repeatedly raped her over the course of about 40 minutes before leaving.

Leighton and Aitken have been held on F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, about 75 miles south of Camp Guernsey.