A SICK soldier who gathered indecent mobile phone text images of a vulnerable York schoolgirl looks set to escape being booted out of the Army.

The family of the teenager reacted with anger today after it emerged that Christoffer Roy Halton looks likely to stay in his regiment.

They claimed the squaddie had got away "with a slap on the wrist".

The 22-year-old Lance Corporal, who targeted the 15-year-old girl when he was based at Fulford Imphal Barracks, walked free from court in March after admitting possessing indecent pictures.

He was handed a 12-month conditional discharge and put on the Sex Offender's Register.

However, the family of the west York girl - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - had pinned their hopes for "justice" on an Army disciplinary hearing.

This was due to take place soon after the Leeds court case. But the family's anger grew in recent months as their requests for information hit a wall of silence and military officials told the Evening Press they were waiting for court papers.

After repeated requests by the Evening Press for updates on when the hearing would take place, an Army spokesman today said that it was unlikely the result of the hearing would be made public.

He refused to discuss Halton's hearing specifically, but said it would probably take place in the next few weeks.

Based on previous hearings for related offences, he said that it was "very unlikely" Halton would be booted out of the 21st Signal Regiment in Wiltshire or demoted for the offence.

This leaves a reprimand as the only likely punishment. However, the Army spokesman denied this was a soft option

He said a reprimand could damage promotion prospects for a number of years, and cost Halton thousands of pounds as a result.

The spokesman said: "This might be seen as a slap on the wrists, but it's not."

He said he did not know what administrative action would be taken, as that was a decision for military legal officials to decide, taking into account Human Rights laws.

He said it would be "unlikely" any decision would officially be made public.

But the girl's family, who have written to Prime Minister Tony Blair and York MP Hugh Bayley about the case, today said the decision "stank".

Her step-father said the victim's behaviour was getting more inward and claimed that Halton was "getting away scot free".

He said: "It's a joke. We feel like the whole system has let us down."

Updated: 10:18 Wednesday, June 15, 2005