Army staff sergeant sexually assaulted junior female soldier and sent her naked photos of himself promising he could help her career, court martial hears
- Staff Sergeant Kareen Thomas allegedly sent his junior colleague penis pictures
- Colleague ‘felt she couldn’t complain because she was ”respecting his rank”’
- SSgt Thomas denies two charges of sexual assault and a third charge of sending inappropriate text messages including two pictures of his penis
A British Army Staff Sergeant sexually assaulted a junior female soldier and sent her naked pictures of himself while promising to help her career progression, a court martial heard today.
Staff sergeant Kareen Thomas allegedly told his junior colleague he could help her get onto a training wing which she had ‘aspirations’ to join before sending her two pictures of his penis.
The female Lance Corporal – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told the court she did not feel she could complain about SSgt Thomas’s behaviour at first because she was ‘respecting his rank,’ the court heard.
Staff sergeant Kareen Thomas (pictured) allegedly told his junior colleague he could help her get onto a training wing which she had ‘aspirations’ to join before sending her two pictures of his penis
The female Lance Corporal – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told the court she did not feel she could complain about SSgt Thomas’s (pictured) behaviour at first because she was ‘respecting his rank,’ the court heard
SSgt Thomas of the Royal Logistics Corps is also charged with two incidents of sexual assault after kissing the woman without consent and grabbing her hand and brushing it against his penis.
She told the court she had considered SSgt Thomas a ‘mate’ because he ‘wanted to help (her) career’ but he then made the unwanted advances.
SSgt Thomas (pictured) of the Royal Logistics Corps is also charged with two incidents of sexual assault after kissing the woman without consent and grabbing her hand and brushing it against his penis
SSgt Thomas allegedly drove to her house to discuss her career and then drove her to a nature reserve and asked for a hug.
The woman said she agreed to hug him but then he ‘snogged’ her neck.
Prosecutor Rupert Gregory told the court martial: ‘As he hugged her, he kissed her neck as she already turned her face. She then wiped off the kiss on her neck, he laughed and drove her home.’
While the pair were then based in Cyprus, SSgt Thomas offered to take her to a cash point.
The court heard that instead, he drove her to a beach to look at the view – even though it was pitch dark – where he grabbed her and forced her to sit on his lap before putting her hand in his crotch.
The woman said she first thought something was wrong when SSgt Thomas parked his minibus far away from her accommodation when he had picked her up, but told herself it was nothing to worry about.
She said: ‘I said to myself ”you are going to a cashpoint with a Staff Sergeant it is going to be fine”.’
Describing the incident, she added: ‘He had control – he had the keys, I was in another country and I could not run away.’
The trial at Bulford Military Court (pictured), Wiltshire, continues
SSgt Thomas also sent her a naked photo before the beach incident and another one after.
The female soldier said he later messaged asking why she was giving him ‘evils’ at work and said ‘is it because you are missing this D,’ in reference to the pictures.
The woman said it was ‘awful’ for her as she had made it clear that she did not want the photos.
The court heard he later called her to explain himself but the woman said she was so angry at the unwanted attention by this point she told him ‘do not talk to me anymore.’
SSgt Thomas (pictured) also sent her a naked photo before the beach incident and another one after
‘Even though I was crying it felt good to stand up to him because I was always respecting his rank and going with the flow.’
As a result she decided to request a transfer.
She told the court: ‘I just had enough and I wanted it to end and I just wanted it to stop.
‘Unfortunately, it has had to come to this. I am still in shock that this is all going on.’
SSgt Thomas denies two charges of sexual assault and a third charge of sending inappropriate text messages including two pictures of his penis.
The trial at Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, continues.
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