Married army sergeant 'groped two women after at Oktoberfest party'

Married army sergeant, 42, ‘was wearing lederhosen when he groped two women after getting drunk at military Oktoberfest party’

  • Sergeant Alan Godley, 42, denied sexually assaulting two female colleagues
  • He is accused of grabbing a woman’s bottom and caressing another’s thigh
  • For one count he said he was ‘disoriented’ and thought he was home by his wife
  • Sgt Godley has since left the Army 

A British Army Sergeant denied sexually assaulting two female colleagues while dressed in lederhosen at a boozy Oktoberfest event, a court martial heard.

In response to one accusation, Bulford Military Court heard Sergeant Alan Godley claim he was ‘disoriented’ after falling asleep and wrongly believed he was at home next to his wife.

The married 42-year-old is accused of groping the first servicewoman’s bottom with one hand while holding a pint of beer in his other hand during the Army bash.

He then allegedly caressed another colleague’s thigh on a coach home and ‘hinted’ they go back to her room.

Sgt Godley’s alleged victims were left feeling ‘vulnerable, upset and angry’ and ‘in shock’ that a sergeant behaved that way.

Sgt Godley, of 22nd Signal Regiment, denies two counts of sexual assault.

Former Sergeant Alan Godley (pictured at Bulford Military Court) is accused of sexually assaulted two female colleagues after getting drunk at a military Oktoberfest event, a court martial heard

Servicemen and women at the Army Oktoberfest event in Herefordshire had been ‘letting their hair down’, prosecutor Wing Commander Michael Saunders said.

At Bulford Military Court, Wiltsshire, Wg Cdr Saunders said: ‘People were letting their hair down, alcohol was being consumed.

‘[The first alleged victim] was dancing on the dance floor. She went to go and get a drink from her bench and as she did that Sgt Godley came behind her and slapped her on the bottom and squeezed.

‘He said something as he walked past her.

‘The crown say the only irresistible inference you can take from that was that it was sexual assault.’

Giving evidence, the female soldier said: ‘I left the dance floor to the benches where I picked up my drink to go outside.

‘Sgt Godley came up behind and grabbed my bum and said “you are – something” in my ear.

‘I kind of froze. He came up behind me as if he was shadowing me.

‘I didn’t say anything, I was shocked – I turned around and went the opposite direction he was going.

‘I was in shock [that he had] done that to me – angry and upset.’

The married 42-year-old is accused of grabbing a woman’s bottom while wearing lederhosen at an Oktoberfest event

Wg Cdr Saunders added: ‘Later on, on the coach [Sgt Godley] walked on and sat next to [the second alleged victim].

‘During the journey he began to ask her whether she had a room – she got the impression he was hinting.

‘He said something [like], “but you have got a room in the block” as he was caressing her thigh.

‘When the coach got back to camp, she was very upset by the nature of the conversation and touching and when she got off the bus she was seen to be crying and upset.’

The court heard Sgt Godley claim he was ‘disoriented’ on the coach and thought he was at home next to his wife.

The second alleged victim said: ‘He asked me if we were going to the block and initially, because people were going on about going back to the block to carry on drinking, I said yes.

‘He then asked me again if I had a room in the block to which I said no.

‘I said no and said “I’m married and have a house”.

‘I thought he might have been getting at something initially – that we could go back to the block together.’

Bulford Military Court heard Sgt Godley stroked his hand up the thigh of one colleague and ‘hinted’ he wanted to go back to her room

She continued: ‘[He] then said “you have a room in the block” – I felt a hand go up my leg.. It was like a stroke, upwards, started just above the the knee to mid-thigh.

‘I shuffled away from him and got as close to the window as I could. He said “have I upset you in some way?” – I didn’t respond.

‘I just wanted to get off the coach.’

Both incidents were reported the next day.

Sgt Godley, who said he was in ‘Oktoberfest gear’, denies groping the woman’s bottom, saying there was a ‘hand-slap’ on the way to the coach.

Sgt Godley has since left the Army.

The trial continues.

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