Disgraced soldier: I’ve done my time
A man convicted of indecent assault while in the military says the punishment and publicity outweigh his crime.
Corey Michael Kennett – who was sentenced to six months’ detention in military prison and dismissed from the army for offences including improperly touching a female recruit at Waiouru Military Camp – said his offending ‘‘pales in comparison to the punishment I received and am continuing to receive’’.
‘‘Everybody deserves a chance at redeeming themselves, which I have tried to do since my conviction.’’
On Sunday, Stuff revealed Kennett’s military court convictions, including indecently assaulting a woman and behaving in a disgraceful and indecent manner.
Kennett spoke out in an email after the Manawatu Standard published a follow-up story about his offending in the military not being reflected in police records. He declined to be interviewed. In his email he said he had struggled to assimilate back into civilian life – ‘‘due to the lack of structure and discipline, which army life gave me, whilst carrying around the guilt of pain and dishonour I had caused to the victim, my family and the army’’.
Documents show he pleaded guilty to 12 charges at a court martial in Waiouru in 2005 and was sentenced to six months’ detention at the Military Prison in Burnham, before being dismissed from the military.
Kennett referred to only one charge, claiming the others were dropped, and said he apologised to the only person he regarded as a genuine victim.
The indecent assault charge was under the Crimes Act, while the remaining 11 were under the Armed Forces Discipline Act.
Kennett said friends and family knew about his offending and had accepted him for who he was.
‘‘I have changed my attitudes towards women dramatically since my conviction and now see women as equals or better with a vast array of talent and ability to offer the world.
‘‘Unfortunately, though, I still cannot bring myself to work alongside women for fear of my past rearing its ugly head and being looked down on or accused of being somebody I’m not any more.’’
On the night of his conviction Kennett said he attempted to take his own life and was caught in the act.
‘‘I was placed on suicide watch for the next month and had to take anti-depressants for the duration of my sentence.’’
Kennett said the victim who spoke out in the first story was not asked to give him a blowjob.
Documents show he pleaded guilty to saying ‘‘now you can give me a blowjob’’, or words to that effect, however.
‘‘When the genuine victim made her complaint, I was stood down from duties and was required to comply with an eightmonth-long investigation and interview process, which was embarrassing as all personnel in the army knew and were talking about me behind my back.’’
He said his sentence in military prison was vastly different to civilian prison.
‘‘There is no Sky TV, there’s no hanging out in your room for 23 hours a day.
‘‘It’s all about hard labour and demoralisation from sun up to late at night.
‘‘Discipline and routine are very strict and any infraction will see an inmate in a freezing and dark solitary confinement cell wearing only a singlet and underpants.’’
The conviction created a huge financial strain on his family, he said.
‘‘This strained my marriage, along with the indecent assault charge, and soon after my release we ended the marriage.
‘‘I have had restricted contact with my two sons since then.’’
Kennett said he was looking for fulltime work, but would now be ‘‘disadvantaged’’ in his pursuit of that.