I only smacked girl’s bottom as a compliment
It was banter, sailor tells court martial
A SCOTS Royal Navy warfare expert accused of slapping a teenage colleague’s bottom yesterday told a court martial he did it ‘as a compliment’.
Leading Seaman Andrew ‘Scotty’ Hallimond denied sexually assaulting the 17-year-old on several occasions and claimed he was taking a ‘slightly friendlier approach’ with young recruits in his charge.
The court heard the married 38-yearold also touched the teenager’s breasts
‘Relaxed approach to new recruits’
after colliding with her while playing basketball, but Hallimond claimed it was an accident. He is accused of developing an ‘unhealthy interest’ in the young woman at HMNB Devonport.
Edinburgh-born Hallimond, who was attached to submarine-hunting frigate HMS Richmond, allegedly slapped her bottom in front of colleagues, in lifts, in offices and in corridors ‘on a daily basis’.
Giving evidence Hallimond, who has served in the Navy for 21 years, told Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire: ‘I tried to take a slightly relaxed approach to new recruits. Yes, there was banter, from my point of view I thought that would break barriers down.’
Asked if he had slapped the alleged victim’s bottom during sports matches, Hallimond replied: ‘Yes I admit that. I did that to male and female colleagues. I do it when someone has scored a decent goal or made a good pass in basketball as a form of “well done”, or a compliment.’
Hallimond denied there was any sexual intention in his actions. The alleged abuse was said to have begun when Hallimond grabbed her while playing basketball and squeezed her breasts, but he claimed this only happened because he was older and slower.
Hallimond told the court: ‘I was running towards her to get the ball but she passed it just before I got to her. I was at full speed. I didn’t want to go through her so I put my hands up to stop myself and I have gone straight into her.
‘I immediately apologised. There was no intention of trying to touch her or anything else.’
Leading Seaman Kylie Foster told the hearing she was within 10ft of the incident and said Hallimond ‘made contact above the chest area. He apologised’.
On another occasion, Hallimond was drinking with the young sailors in the common room and went to use a toilet in the victim’s room. When he came back he allegedly said: ‘It’s nice to see you have red underwear in your drawer.’
Hallimond said he did not go through the woman’s drawers and said he never slapped her bottom anywhere other than on the basketball court.
He denies four counts of sexual assault. The trial continues.