Forces fail on sex offenders
Loophole lets abusers stay in
AT least 10 convicted sex offenders are serving in the Armed Forces.
Top brass vowed in March that there would be zero tolerance of abusers and anyone convicted would be sacked.
But a loophole means personnel who were made to sign the sex offenders’ register before March are not automatically barred from serving.
Last night shadow Armed Forces minister Luke Pollard said: “Our Armed Forces are the best of British but letting sexual predators stay in post is sickening. Ministers should not be allowing them to wear our nation’s uniform.
“Being a sexual predator and serving your country are incompatible.”
Junior defence minister
Leo Docherty revealed the shocking figure for serving sex criminals in response to a parliamentary question.
The new policy introduced on March 30 states: “Those found guilty of sexual offences are to be administratively discharged from service with no option to serve elsewhere.”
It also includes a crackdown on relationships between instructors and rookies.
The measures were taken after the 2019 Wigston review found an unacceptable level of bad behaviour.
In May it was revealed reported rapes at military bases had doubled in six years.
Labour’s Mr Pollard added: “The Government must move cases of sexual assault and rape from military courts to civilian courts to improve the conviction rates.”
Last year a 30-year-old instructor was found guilty of raping a teenage recruit after waking her at 3am when he was drunk.
Around two-thirds of women in the Armed Forces have experienced bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination, according to a landmark government report last year.
In the Sunday People last year, retired Lieutenant Colonel Diane Allen called for a Metoo movement in the Armed Forces following the Hollywood purge on abusers.
The Ministry of Defence said: “There is no place for this type of behaviour in the Armed Forces. As of March this year, anyone who is convicted of a sexual offence, including anyone on the Sex Offenders’ Register, will be discharged.”