Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps staff sergeant Jeremy Leslie Boyd denied the charges. Photo / George Heard
Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps staff sergeant Jeremy Leslie Boyd denied the charges. Photo / George Heard
A New Zealand Defence Force soldier has been found guilty of groping a female subordinate at a function.
Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps staff sergeant Jeremy Leslie Boyd denied a September 22, 2016 indecent assault at Burnham Military Camp, 30km south of Christchurch.
The senior non-commissioned officer faced acourt martial at Burnham Military Camp outside Christchurch after being charged under the Crimes Act 1961 – with an alternative accusation of common assault.
Boyd also faced a charge of failing to comply with written orders contrary to the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971, which alleged that at Burnham Military Camp on December 5, 2018 he failed to set an example of good conduct by saying to a junior subordinate, "this is my last chance to get you wasted, corporals are my cut off", or words to that effect.
That also had an alternative charge, of "doing an act likely to prejudice service discipline" contrary to the Armed Forces Discipline Act 1971, again at Burnham, more than two years later, on December 5, 2018.
The soldier denied the charges but has been found guilty after two days of evidence at the court martial.
He is no longer based at Burnham, the NZDF says.
At the outset of the trial on Monday, military prosecutor sub lieutenant Natacha Wisstt said the case involved Boyd acting in a sexually inappropriate manner towards a female subordinate.
Boyd says the allegation of indecent assault was a "fabrication, for reasons best known to the complainant".
Referring to the 2018 allegation, he says she had "at best misinterpreted" his comments, or even deliberately misinterpreted the conversation to make it sound sleazy and crass. He had merely been trying to offer career advice to a junior subordinate, Bulger says.
