She’s asking for it, said soldier after bottom smack
Staff member at Sandhurst denies sex assault after allegedly slapping female colleague’s backside
A SANDHURST soldier who slapped a female colleague’s bottom so hard she stumbled forward told her: “Don’t act like you weren’t asking for it,” a court martial has heard.
Pte Jonathan Rowell allegedly left the soldier “shocked” and “uncomfortable” by smacking her as she readjusted her boots and trousers after a break at work.
Pte Rowell, who is understood to be based at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Berks, as a staff member, denies one count of sexual assault.
Lt Cdr Jamie Brotherton, prosecuting, told Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire, that the woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was walking from a smoking area when the alleged assault occurred.
“The complainant was outside bending down to adjust her twisties when, without consent, the defendant came up behind and grabbed her bottom hard, causing her pain and distress,” he said.
Lt Cdr Brotherton said Pte Rowell had used such a “good deal of force” that the woman’s friend who had walked slightly ahead, turned around after hearing a “loud slapping noise”.
“It was uninvited, unwanted and not consented to,” he continued. “She said it left her stumbling forward. The Crown say she was carrying out an everyday activity – adjusting her twisties – and she did not expect, invite or want anyone to grab her bottom. She clearly wasn’t asking for it.”
Giving evidence, the woman told the court that her break, which she had taken in a smoking area, had ended so she was returning to her workplace in a group containing Pte Rowell.
“We walked up a path back to our squadron,” she said. “Pte Rowell was behind me in a group. I wore twisties on the bottom of my trousers – they go around the bottom of your boots to touch the bottom of your trousers to
‘It was uninvited, unwanted and not consented to ... she said it left her stumbling forward’
make them look neater. I bent down to readjust them because I was going back to work, when Pte Rowell came up behind me and slapped me on the bum – it knocked me forwards.
“I shot up and obviously I was shocked. It hurt.” The woman insisted she was 100 per cent sure it was Pte Rowell and that she had given him no invitation to touch her.
The court heard that when she exclaimed “what the f---?”, Pte Rowell said: “Don’t act like you weren’t asking for it.”
She added: “It made me feel really uncomfortable. I didn’t feel like I wanted to be touched by him and he had touched me.” The royal military academy trains all officers in the British Army.
The trial of Pte Rowell continues.