Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many cases of (a) sexual assault, (b) sexual harassment and (c) rape have resulted in criminal sentences for perpetrators following reported incidents involving armed forces personnel serving at Royal Navy colleges in each of last five years.

During the last five years, the Court Martial Service dealt with less than five cases of sexual offences resulting in a court martial for an alleged perpetrator based at a Royal Navy college. There were no court martials relating to rape during the same period and no criminal sentences for any offence. Sexual harassment is not an offence under civil or military law, although there is a policy of zero tolerance to any form of unacceptable sexual behaviour in the Armed Forces.

The numbers above relate only to court martials where the defendant’s unit was recorded as being the Britannia Royal Naval College Dartmouth, the Commando Training Centre Lympstone or HMS RALEIGH, all of which undertake Phase 1 training. They do not take account of defendants who may be linked to other units.