Lawyers for a young former military recruit are taking the Australian Defence Force to court over his experience at Latchford Barracks in Victoria.
Warning: This story contains images and details some people may find disturbing.
Among a host of allegations about how former RAAF aircraftman Alister French was treated at the army base, a video has emerged of fellow soldiers using Mr French for an evening's entertainment in a common room at the barracks.
"What occurs in that video is Alister is bound, gagged, choked, strangled, set on fire, assaulted with different implements, sexually assaulted. It's the full gamut, the full range of any type of assault you can imagine. It's torture," his lawyer told 7.30.
Mr French always had his heart set on joining the military to "serve the nation and help", he told 7.30.
At the end of his basic training with the RAAF at Wagga, where he had won two merit awards, Mr French was transferred to Latchford Barracks and the Army School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering in Wodonga, Victoria.
Mr French admits his military record isn't unblemished. He pleaded guilty to breaking a window while drunk at an RAAF base while celebrating with fellow recruits.
He also injured his back during basic training, which he told 7.30 eventually led to surgical intervention and time in hospital.
It meant he was put on "light duties and restrictions", which Mr French told 7.30 didn't go down well.
"It escalated with very minor offences, with me being pulled into offices and having death threats at myself."
It was serious enough for him to go to police at Wodonga, but he claims he was turned away.
In a statement, Victoria Police confirmed "a man reported a matter at a training facility near Wodonga to police in 2020".
"Enquiries were undertaken and, on the information provided, it was determined a criminal offence could not be identified at the time," the statement said.
Mr French's mother, Lisa French, told 7.30: "When he phoned home, the words he used [were], 'I've got a target on my head, they've told me I've got a target on my head'.'"
'Today I'm torturing Frenchy'
On October 1 last year, Mr French's life was changed forever when he was bound by the ankles, legs, hands and head with duct tape.
7.30 has obtained 21 minutes of a video which begins with a fellow recruit telling the camera, "Hi guys. Today I'm torturing Frenchy."
Mr French and his lawyers allege the abuse went for up to 45 minutes.
And Mr French told 7.30, "At the time, the people I was living with thought it was a joke. I was mentally and physically fatigued. I thought it's just easier to go with it … than [to] try [to] fight it and have an argument.
"I allowed them to tie my hands and my feet, but it escalated very quickly into me being fully restrained."
What followed was horrific.
Mr French didn't reveal to his mother what happened until recently.
"He showed me [the video]. I was speechless. I couldn't believe what I saw. It's bastardisation and it seems to be accepted," Ms French said.
"It's one of the hardest things I've ever had to watch. No parent should go through that. We entrusted our son to the Royal Australian Air Force and the military."
Defence declined an interview request, telling 7.30 in a statement that it takes all allegations of unacceptable behaviour seriously and it had investigated all of Mr French's complaints in 2020.
In relation to the video, Defence said it was a "new allegation" and has "strongly encouraged any material evidence of such behaviour be referred immediately to the civilian police for investigation".
Mr French's lawyers have also recommended he go to police.
Watch the story tonight on 7.30 on ABC TV and iview.
