Essex: Novice firefighter 'sexually abused with frozen sausage' during humiliating initiation ritual

A firefighter was allegedly indecently assaulted with a frozen sausage by colleagues, a court heard.

Anthony Benham and Ian Maguire, face four counts of indecent assault and 10 counts of false imprisonment.

The alleged abuse took place on Green Watch at Tilbury Fire Station in Essex late 1980s and early 1990s, Basildon Crown Court was told.

One novice firefighter who cannot be named for legal reasons, told a jury how he was "jumped on" by around four officers who pulled his trousers down and bent him over a gym horse.

"My hands and feet were held to prevent me from kicking and lashing out," he said according to a Mirror report.

"The next thing I was aware there was something… I presumed it was a frozen sausage but it may have been a mop handle or broom handle. It was cold with a rounded end.

"That was sort of teased around the cheeks of my bum to make me think 'You know where this is going', it was sort of a mind game.

"Later it did find a way to my bum.

"It was just a quick little inserted push just to indicate 'We're actually going for it' and then it ended."

The firefighter did not believe the initiation ceremony was done for "sexual gratification" but was "intended to humiliate and knock you down a little bit".

There were numerous other incidents where he was subjected to verbal and physical abuse, he added.

He was locked alone in a room while several of his colleagues urinated on him.

"The skylight opened and basically I thought I was going to get a couple of buckets of water, but I'm confident it was urine," he said.

"I felt pretty disgusted… felt quite dirty that someone had weed over me."

A vacuum cleaner was used to simulate oral sex and chillies were rubbed on genitals to cause pain and discomfort.

Prosecutor Stephen Rose said Maguire and Benham took advantage of "the culture of practical jokes and intimidation" to "indulge in acts of indecent degradation to new recruits".

He said their actions amounted to "extreme bullying and degrading sexual treatment", according to the Yorkshire Evening Post.

Both men no longer work as firefighters. Maguire later joined the police and Benham retired due to ill health, the court heard.

They each deny all the charges against them. The trial continues.