The Bermuda Regiment's Commanding Officer condemned allegations that young soldiers are abused after a court battle over the military draft concluded yesterday.

With Chief Justice Richard Ground reserving his ruling, Lt. Col. William White yesterday dismissed claims from campaigners prior to the case as "complete and utter nonsense".

The Judicial Review was initiated by 14 conscripts collectively known as Bermudians Against the Draft (BAD). Prior to the hearing this week, they branded conscription a form of slavery.

They also claimed in media interviews that young soldiers have been subjected to emotional and physical abuse – including the use of leg shackles – and racism at the hands of white officers.

However, the two-day hearing saw their lawyers focus entirely on the way the authorities administer the policy, not the way soldiers are treated. Lt. Col. White has previously declined to comment on BAD's abuse claims, citing the pending court hearing.

But speaking out for the first time, he told The Royal Gazette: "It's important to note that the applicants have been very public about their concerns about alleged actions that have taken place within the Regiment.

"The likes of shackles and slavery and white officers berating young men, they have not been raised within the confines of Supreme Court."

The Commander noted how Foreign Office Minister Geoff Hoon told the British Parliament that shackles were banned within the Regiment in 2001, with previous uses unauthorised.

"A lot of these allegations are old muck that just keeps getting raked up by individuals who don't have any current knowledge about what goes on in the Regiment today," he claimed.

Addressing allegations of verbal abuse, he said: "The fact that somebody gets shouted at – yes, that's a fact of life in the Bermuda Regiment.

"Although we need to respect an individual's dignity, if he's doing something he's not supposed to be doing and those infractions are brought to our attention ... those infractions are dealt with strongly."

Of allegations that young black conscripts have been treated in a racist manner by white senior officers, Lt. Col. White said half of those in the officers' mess are black, with most rebukes meted out in any case by more junior section commanders who were, in some cases, conscripts themselves the year before.

"The fact that those individuals are alleged to be all white is a complete nonsense. It's not senior whites shouting at subservient blacks," he said.

As for BAD's comparison of forced military service to slavery, he said: "I'm afraid that's a very emotive argument which has been used to give the case a flavour that it never has had."

Lt. Col. White said he would await the ruling "then comply with the will of the court."

It was argued on behalf of Government and the Regiment that there are not enough volunteer soldiers for the Regiment to fulfil its mandate without conscription.

Lt. Col. White revealed contingency plans are in place in case Mr. Justice Ground deems Government's policy unlawful.