The defence ministry has suspended an officer at the military academy in Breda for having repeated affairs with female cadets.

Sources had told the Telegraaf that the man is a captain in charge of a group of officer recruits, but his identity has been kept secret. He is said to have had long-term relationships with five female recruits at the same time.

Senior defence officials are now deciding if the officer should be sacked, the paper said.

Last year, junior defence minister Barbara Visser set up an investigation into problems at military academies after reports surfaced that there was a Whatsapp group which praised Nazi Germany.

And another investigation in 2018 found that much needed to be done to improve personal safety at the academies because of bullying and abuse.

Three soldiers told the Volkskrant at the end of 2017 that they had quit their barracks in Schaarsbergen in 2014 because of the climate of abuse. Four members of staff were disciplined and transferred to other units following that investigation.