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| Navy rejects criticism of captive | Navy rejects criticism of captive |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Royal Navy is playing down reports that freed Iranian hostage Arthur Batchelor from Plymouth has been making light of his experiences. | The Royal Navy is playing down reports that freed Iranian hostage Arthur Batchelor from Plymouth has been making light of his experiences. |
| Operator Maintainer Batchelor, 20, is pictured by newspapers in a city nightclub wearing a blindfold with an imaginary gun held to his head. | Operator Maintainer Batchelor, 20, is pictured by newspapers in a city nightclub wearing a blindfold with an imaginary gun held to his head. |
| He is on leave after being released along with 14 others from his Plymouth-based ship HMS Cornwall. | He is on leave after being released along with 14 others from his Plymouth-based ship HMS Cornwall. |
| OM Batchelor spent two weeks in captivity before being returned home. | OM Batchelor spent two weeks in captivity before being returned home. |
| Arthur Batchelor has been through a very traumatic experience and is just letting his hair down Royal Navy The pictures, put on the club's website and shown in a number of Sunday tabloids, show him in Jesters nightclub in Union Street. | |
| He is shown apparently laughing in a blindfold as a friend points pistol-shaped fingers to his head. | He is shown apparently laughing in a blindfold as a friend points pistol-shaped fingers to his head. |
| In another picture his head is being held back by a toy rifle. | In another picture his head is being held back by a toy rifle. |
| Arthur Batchelor sold his story amid a storm over paymentsThe Mail on Sunday calls him the "hostage who learned nothing from his ordeal" and says: "Torture? It's all a laugh now for Mr Bean". | |
| The News of the World condemns his antics as a "shameful" insult to his comrades fighting in Iraq. | The News of the World condemns his antics as a "shameful" insult to his comrades fighting in Iraq. |
| A Navy spokesperson told BBC News: "Arthur Batchelor has been through a very traumatic experience and is just letting his hair down. | A Navy spokesperson told BBC News: "Arthur Batchelor has been through a very traumatic experience and is just letting his hair down. |
| "This was in his own time and we do not police navy personnel in their own time. | "This was in his own time and we do not police navy personnel in their own time. |
| "We can't comment on what he might or might not do in his own private hours." | "We can't comment on what he might or might not do in his own private hours." |
| OM Batchelor sold his story to the press amid a furore over the payments. | OM Batchelor sold his story to the press amid a furore over the payments. |
| He said afterwards that he was concerned that he had disappointed his colleagues in the Royal Navy. | He said afterwards that he was concerned that he had disappointed his colleagues in the Royal Navy. |
| Jesters owner Stephen Locke said: "Those snaps are a bit contentious in this day and age. | |
| "Hopefully everyone will see the funny side although they are slightly controversial." |