Navy captain‘loses his command over texts to woman in his crew’
A DECORATED naval captain has been removed from his post for allegedly sending ‘suggestive messages’ to a woman sailor under his command.
Commander Tom Knott MBE is said to have sent ‘amorous and inappropriate texts’ to a junior member of his ship’s company and was removed as captain of HMS Trent over the weekend.
It comes as the First Sea Lord launched an urgent investigation last week after the Mail exposed allegations of abuse, misogyny and sexual harassment in the Royal Navy.
Our revelations have seen a whistleblower speak out about the mistreatment of women in the Navy’s surface fleet where she says ‘harassing women is seen as a sport’.
The former senior officer said female sailors are pestered on a daily basis while those in command frequently ‘hit on’ and pursue junior crew members.
When the allegations were made, Commander Knott, 39, was swiftly removed from the offshore patrol vessel, which carries out Nato duties in the Mediterranean as part of a counter terrorism mission in the region.
The previously celebrated commanding officer is said to have bombarded a female member of his crew with the messages after an alcohol-fuelled night out at a foreign port with his ship’s company. A Navy source said: ‘Command and alcohol doesn’t mix – one too many in this case resulted in totally unacceptable behaviour.
‘It made his position completely untenable and was in contravention with the code of social conduct.’
Commander Knott is now the subject of a wider investigation which will determine his future employability in the Navy.
The long-standing commander was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List in 2013 for defending Gibraltar’s territorial waters.
He was also presented with the Long Service and Good Conduct medal in 2019 which is awarded in recognition for 15 years of ‘exemplary service’.
The Royal Navy is thought to be moving quickly to stamp out alleged bad behaviour after a number of whistleblowers exposed allegations of abuse in the Mail last week. ‘Of course, one case is one too many but we would like to think we are turning a corner,’ a Navy source added.
A number of women, including former lieutenant Sophie Brook, have spoken out to expose the mistreatment of women – including allegations of serious sexual assault – in the Submarine Service.
A former senior officer has now come forward to expose a similar culture on the surface fleet.
The latest whistleblower said that women on the ships were subjected to sexual harassment every day, which included having bags of their underwear stolen and being asked for sexual favours.
She said: ‘Senior officers hit on the junior women all the time, it’s common knowledge. They see harassing women as a sport.’
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, she added: ‘I was left a nervous wreck after being sexually harassed on a daily basis. Some of the things that are happening are sexual offences, in the civilian world you would take that to the police.
‘But in the Navy you can’t, you are on a ship dealing with harassment with no support from your chain of command and you are coerced and manipulated into not reporting it.
‘Women know nothing is going to be done about it and they fear having a target put on their backs. You’ve got nowhere to go on a ship, there is no escape and you are on board for months. The men protect each other and close ranks against the few women that are there.’
Last week, Admiral Sir Ben Key, the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, said he was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the allegations and that an investigation had been launched. He added: ‘These allegations are abhorrent. Sexual assault and harassment has no place in the Royal Navy and will not be tolerated.
‘I have directed my senior team to investigate these allegations thoroughly. Anyone who is found culpable will be held accountable regardless of rank or status.’
A Royal Navy spokesman said: ‘While most of our personnel enjoy hugely rewarding careers, we have to be honest that for some, predominantly women, their experience has been affected by inappropriate sexual behaviour or harassment. Let us be clear, any activity across the Service which falls short of the highest standards the Royal Navy sets itself is totally unacceptable and we will work tirelessly to improve the lived experience for our people. Moreover, we will not hesitate to take action against those who do not meet our high standards.
‘Sexual assault and harassment has no place in the Royal Navy and will not be tolerated.’
Commander Knott declined to comment because the internal investigation is still going on.