Army loses sex assault investigation powers

COMMANDING officers in the Army can no longer investigate allegations of sexual assault after the Government closed a controversial loophole.

The Ministry of Defence has changed the law to stop officers conducting internal inquiries and made it the responsibility of military police. Campaigners welcomed the move, although some said complaints should go to civilian police and not the Army’s own force. Under existing law, commanders investigate sex assault cases rather than pass them to police. After the changes to the Armed Forces Act yesterday, victims will be able to call on the military police.

Liberty, the human rights campaigner, lobbied the Government and recently threatened legal action to force a rethink. Emma Norton, of Liberty, said: “This is a huge achievement… but until commanding officers are forced to refer all allegations of sexual assault to civilian police, our soldiers will still be subject to second-best justice.”

The change follows the suicide of Anne-marie Ellement, who accused two military police colleagues of rape, a claim investigated by the RMP itself.

Sharon Hardy, her sister, said: “It is with a heavy heart I welcome this news. I hope victims will feel safe coming forward and the military has learnt from cases like Anne-marie’s.”