RAF ‘vigilante’ sacked for threatening airman over alleged assault
A “VIGILANTE” RAF officer was sacked for threatening a junior colleague who had been accused of sexually assaulting his friend, a court has heard.
Sqd Ldr Simon Short, 40, turned vigilante after the alleged female victim confided in him about an alleged serious attack.
Sqd Ldr Short, an engineer based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, sent three anonymous letters to the accused in which he said he would “come for him” and ordered him to leave the force.
His actions led the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, to quit the
RAF after he became “fearful” at the threats. Bulford Military Court heard Sqd Ldr Short, who had more than 20 years’ experience, took “discipline into his own hands”.
After admitting one charge of conduct prejudicial to good order and service discipline, Sqd Ldr Short was dismissed.
Prosecutor Lt Col Lyndsey Jones told the court that the “threatening” letters were sent between September 2022 and January 2023.
Lt Col Jones said in the summer of 2022, Sqd Ldr Short and the alleged victim were on the same detachment and would often eat dinner together.
She said: “During one said occasion, the conversation turned to how she was feeling uneasy about returning to [her base].”
The court heard the woman confided in him about being the “victim of a serious sexual and physical assault” the summer before, but did not tell him the name of the assailant.
She added: “Sqd Ldr Short advised her to go to the police, but she did not want to. He continued to offer her support, but inquired about his identity.”
She told the court the woman eventually told him, but specifically asked him not to act on it.
However, on Sept 27 last year, the accused airman received an unsigned and undated letter from Sqd Ldr Short, which said: “I know what happened last year. If you go anywhere near her again I will end you – I will come for you and you will not see it coming. You are to leave the RAF or I will hand you to the police. You won’t get away with this – I’m watching you.”
The airman reported the letter to his superiors and started the process to quit the RAF the following month, leaving by December. However, while on camp for his final medical, he collected his mail and found a second threatening letter.
A third and final letter in which Sqd Ldr Short accused him of a serious sexual offence was found by police after they told mailroom staff to hand over the airman’s post since he left.
In January, Sqd Ldr Short emailed a colleague, reporting the alleged sexual assault he had been informed of, before naming the alleged perpetrator.
The court heard this disclosure led police to identify Sqd Ldr Short as having sent the letters.
Judge Advocate General Darren Reed told Sqd Ldr Short he should have reported the allegation, adding: “It was not for you to act as judge, jury and executioner. There is no place in the Air Force for commissioned officers to take the law into their own hands. And therefore there is not place for you.”
Sqd Ldr Short was also ordered to pay £500 compensation to the man.