| A British Army corporal bought a female soldier alcohol and then complained the drinks were not taking effect before 'forcing himself on her', a court martial has heard. Corporal Isimeli Seru, 40, sent WhatsApp messages to his comrade and 'pushed' her to go drinking with him at the on-site bar at the Invicta Park Barracks, in Maidstone, Kent. He bought her two Strongbows and a Jack Daniels and then moaned 'they weren't having an effect', the hearing at Bulford Military Court, in Wiltshire, heard. After three drinks she decided to go back to her room, but Cpl Seru followed her and offered to do her ironing and admin before he 'grabbed her' and started touching her body, the court martial was told. It is then alleged he 'forced his tongue down her throat' and was 'rubbing her in-between her legs', only stopping when she burst out into tears and then offered her some food. |  |
The female soldier managed to escape and went to a friend's room for help, the hearing was told.
Cpl Seru denies two charges of sexual assault and behaving in a sexual manner.
The court heard the pair were not close and the Sunday afternoon WhatsApp message was 'innocuous', reading 'What are you up to?'
Prosecuting, Rupert Gregory, said: 'She's not a drinker and she didn't want to drink but nevertheless, he pushed her.'
Giving evidence, the woman said: 'I said I didn't want to drink it at first and he was saying I was trying to get away from him. He bought a JD and brought that over.
'He was going around saying the drinks weren't having an effect on me.'
After three drinks, the woman said she needed to go and collect a parcel from the post room and Cpl Seru insisted on joining her.
There, the woman said she felt his hands around her waist but she 'just ignored it and brushed it off'.
She told the military court: 'As I started going back to my room he kept insisting "I will do your ironing for you" and "I will do your admin for you".
'I really didn't know what to think because he really wasn't taking the hint so I didn't know what to say but I didn't want to be rude or anything.
'I said I have admin but he wasn't getting the memo. He kept saying "I will do it".'
The court heard Cpl Seru entered her room and then 'grabbed her'.
Mr Gregory said: 'He grabbed her with both of his hands and pulled her towards him so that she was on top of him. He pulled her around so that she was lying next to him.
'During that, his hands were around her waist and he was feeling her body - specifically her chest area - and up and down her body.
'After a bit she was able to get up off the bed. He still had his arms around her so she pushed herself up and away from him.'
The soldier managed to escape and leave the room but when she came back, he is alleged to have tried again.
Mr Gregory said: 'As soon as she stepped through the door he grabbed her, put his hands around her, and did the same thing again.
'With this assault, he went a little bit further by moving his left hand in-between her legs and rubbing her in-between her legs.'
Describing the events, the female soldier tearfully told the court: 'He started feeling my chest again but then his hands moved down to my private area - in between my legs.
'He was rubbing but it was just outside my tights. That happened, I continually told him to stop but then he wouldn't stop so I got overwhelmed I started breaking down and crying.
'He was still trying to force himself to kiss me and he kept sticking his tongue in my mouth and I told him to stop.
'He stopped when he saw I was crying and was trying to wipe tears away from my face.
'He was asking me why I was crying, I said it was because of the alcohol. It wasn't.
'I didn't want him to feel like I was upset because I didn't know what else he was going to do so I said it was because of the alcohol.
'After he saw me crying again he asked if he wanted to do my ironing and then he asked if I wanted food.'
She then left the room and managed to get away, by going to her friend's room for help.
The trial continues. Source: The Daily Mail, London, 28 September 2023
Cpl Seru denies two charges of sexual assault and behaving in a sexual manner.
The court heard the pair were not close and the Sunday afternoon WhatsApp message was 'innocuous', reading 'What are you up to?'
Prosecuting, Rupert Gregory, said: 'She's not a drinker and she didn't want to drink but nevertheless, he pushed her.'
Giving evidence, the woman said: 'I said I didn't want to drink it at first and he was saying I was trying to get away from him. He bought a JD and brought that over.
'He was going around saying the drinks weren't having an effect on me.'
After three drinks, the woman said she needed to go and collect a parcel from the post room and Cpl Seru insisted on joining her.
There, the woman said she felt his hands around her waist but she 'just ignored it and brushed it off'.
She told the military court: 'As I started going back to my room he kept insisting "I will do your ironing for you" and "I will do your admin for you".
'I really didn't know what to think because he really wasn't taking the hint so I didn't know what to say but I didn't want to be rude or anything.
'I said I have admin but he wasn't getting the memo. He kept saying "I will do it".'
The court heard Cpl Seru entered her room and then 'grabbed her'.
Mr Gregory said: 'He grabbed her with both of his hands and pulled her towards him so that she was on top of him. He pulled her around so that she was lying next to him.
'During that, his hands were around her waist and he was feeling her body - specifically her chest area - and up and down her body.
'After a bit she was able to get up off the bed. He still had his arms around her so she pushed herself up and away from him.'
The soldier managed to escape and leave the room but when she came back, he is alleged to have tried again.
Mr Gregory said: 'As soon as she stepped through the door he grabbed her, put his hands around her, and did the same thing again.
'With this assault, he went a little bit further by moving his left hand in-between her legs and rubbing her in-between her legs.'
Describing the events, the female soldier tearfully told the court: 'He started feeling my chest again but then his hands moved down to my private area - in between my legs.
'He was rubbing but it was just outside my tights. That happened, I continually told him to stop but then he wouldn't stop so I got overwhelmed I started breaking down and crying.
'He was still trying to force himself to kiss me and he kept sticking his tongue in my mouth and I told him to stop.
'He stopped when he saw I was crying and was trying to wipe tears away from my face.
'He was asking me why I was crying, I said it was because of the alcohol. It wasn't.
'I didn't want him to feel like I was upset because I didn't know what else he was going to do so I said it was because of the alcohol.
'After he saw me crying again he asked if he wanted to do my ironing and then he asked if I wanted food.'
She then left the room and managed to get away, by going to her friend's room for help.
The trial continues. Source: The Daily Mail, London, 28 September 2023
