Military Police investigated 11 sex crimes in recent years

ELEVEN crimes of a sexual nature have been reported within the Defence Forces and to Military Police in recent years, the Irish Daily Mail can reveal.

Figures obtained by this paper show the reports include allegations of sexual assaults, inappropriate behaviour and sexual harassment.

The data, released under the Freedom of Information Act, shows that a military police investigation was launched into all of the 11 allegations reported over a seven-year period between 2010 and 2016.

Six of these pertained to alleged sexual assaults, four were in relation to alleged incidents of inappropriate behaviour and one was an alleged sexual harassment complaint.

The most recent complaints, made in 2015 and 2016, included one allegation of alleged sexual assault and two cases of alleged inappropriate behaviour.

The Defence Forces confirmed that the Military Police investigation for two of the cases has been completed.

One of these was ‘dealt with by disciplinary proceedings under the Defence Act 1954’ while the other case remained under consideration as of June this year.

And, one case was still under Military Police investigation at that time.

The eight allegations made between 2010 and 2014 include five allegations of sexual assault, two allegations of inappropriate behaviour and one for alleged sexual harassment.

Of these cases, charges against the accused were proven in four and actions were taken.

Data released by the Defence Forces confirmed that one person was discharged in relation to these incidents. The convicted person was a male while the victim was a female.

One case was closed due to insufficient evidence. The outcome of the other cases remains unknown.

Information from the Court Martial administrator details that the male was convicted of ‘committing a civil offence’ under the Defence Act 1954, pertaining specifically to ‘sexual assault contrary to section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990’.

The Defence Forces confirmed that during that specific five-year period (2010 to 2014), all eight reports made came from enlisted ranks and that seven of these allegations came from women while one came from a male.

Junior Minister for Defence Paul Kehoe told the Irish Daily Mail that ‘sexual harassment and bullying are unacceptable, and are treated with the utmost seriousness’.