Female Royal Navy sailor ‘raped by a male colleague at a Holiday Inn’, court martial hears 

A Royal Navy sailor was raped by a male colleague after a prosecco-fuelled ‘naked mess’ party at a Holiday Inn, a court martial has heard.

Able Seaman William Stewart allegedly took advantage of the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after she stripped down to her bra and showered herself and her half-naked male shipmates in fizz while celebrating her birthday.

A group of sailors had been out drinking before returning to the hotel in the North East to continue their partying in a conference room, Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire was told.

Several sailors including the alleged attacker took their tops off after someone shouted ‘naked mess’ and then lay on the floor as the female sailor ‘poured prosecco’ on herself and them, the court martial heard.

She then went with three of the group including AB Stewart to another male sailor’s hotel room, where she changed out of her wet clothes and fell asleep on his bed. The woman claimed that she awoke to find the Able Seaman sexually assaulting her.

AB Stewart denies one count of rape, one of assault by penetration and one of causing a person to engage in sexual activity. He claims both sailors consented to the sexual activity. 

Bulford Military Court heard the alleged rape took place during a night out while the sailors’ ship was undergoing maintenance. 

A Royal Navy sailor was raped by a male colleague after a prosecco-fuelled ‘naked mess’ party at a Holiday Inn (stock image), a court martial has heard

Prosecuting, Wing Commander Michael Saunders said: ‘AB Stewart had recently joined the ship. They all had a significant amount to drink. [The female alleged victim] was given a bottle of Prosecco, as it was her birthday.

‘[Videos from the conference room] show [her] pouring the Prosecco over herself and onto some males with their tops off on the floor. One of them was AB Stewart.’

Giving her evidence, the female sailor told the court: ‘It was my birthday the day after. We were celebrating that and a couple of people were promoted, so we were celebrating that, too.

‘We were all having drinks and everybody was having a good time. [Later on] we were all in the conference room, and we ordered pizza.

”Naked mess” was shouted – it was just tops off… we all had a bit of the Prosecco and I got a bit wet [from] the alcohol. I remember people laying on the floor when I had the Prosecco… I was stood up with the bottle.’

The woman told the court four of the party went back to one of their rooms to carry on the party.

‘I asked the lad whose room it was if I could change into dry clothes,’ she said. ‘I changed into boxers and a top and continued drinking. I started getting sleepy and I just crashed. I fell asleep.’

But the ‘scared and confused’ woman alleged she later awoke to AB Stewart, an engineering technician she hardly knew, ‘fondling’ her breasts and touching her. 

Bulford Military Court heard the alleged incident took place during a night out while the sailors’ ship was undergoing maintenance

She said: ‘I [next] woke up without the boxers on and my top was risen up past my chest. This person was fondling me and touching me… I didn’t know what was going on. He started doing things and I tried to clench my thighs, but it didn’t work. I tried to move, but that didn’t work. I just didn’t have the energy to do anything about it.’

She claimed AB Stewart then moved to the other side of the bed and sexually assaulted a male sailor who was also asleep before returning to her.

‘He came back to me, and decided to have sex with me,’ she claimed. 

‘I kept trying to move left and right and he kept moving my hips. I just lay there. My eyes were closed the whole time. He basically did what he wanted and I hoped it would be over. I remember praying the lad next to me would wake up. It felt like a lifetime.’ 

Michael Green, defending, argued both alleged victims had participated in ‘sexualised behaviour’ with AB Stewart.

He told the woman: ‘Someone had shouted ”naked mess” and you [female alleged victim] had taken your top off, and were pouring the prosecco over yourself.

‘[Three male sailors] and AB Stewart all had their tops off and were laying on the floor in the conference room of the hotel.

‘A video shows you with a bottle of champagne or prosecco. You were pouring it over yourself and it trickled down onto [the male sailors]’ naked torsos. [Later on], when your bum was slapped, you were on all fours on the bed. You were twerking and gyrating your bum. This is now sexualised behaviour.’

The woman accepted that this could have happened but said she did not remember it taking place.

Mr Green added: ‘You were in two minds when you reported the incident. Events moved on [from] the conference room to a situation where a line was crossed. No doubt you regretted [it], but in drink, this led to you having sex [with AB Stewart].’

The trial continues.