Soldier pleads guilty to groping two bartenders at Linton Military Camp

A court-martial hearing at the Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North began today for a soldier charged with five counts of indecent assault. Photo / Jeremy Wilkinson

A soldier who groped a bartender at a military bar went on to tell the woman: “I’m not trying to get into you or anything, I have a missus.”

The man also groped the buttocks of another female staffer at the Linton Military Camp just outside of Palmerston North following a boozy function for the private’s unit at the bar.

The events of August 1, 2022 are now the subject of a Court Martial taking place at Linton this week where the soldier has pleaded guilty to four charges of indecent assault.

However, the man, who has interim name suppression, denies a fifth charge of indecent assault by allegedly attempting to grab one of the women in the groin, as well as two charges of intimidating a third bartender after being confronted about his behaviour.

It’s also alleged he called a superior officer, who attempted to remove him from the bar, a “ballbag” and a “motherf***er”.

According to the agreed summary of facts for the four charges the man has pleaded guilty to, he became so intoxicated following a function at the camp that staff at the on-base bar stopped serving him alcohol.

After that, he went in and out of the smoking area before sitting down next to one of the female civilian bar staff who was taking a break. He put his arm around the back of her chair before sliding his hand down to grab her bottom.

“What are you doing? I haven’t done anything to lead you on in any way,” the woman told him.

“I’m not trying to get into you or anything, I have a missus,” the private replied, before showing her photos of his girlfriend on his cellphone.

Several minutes later he sat down next to another female staff member, also a civilian, and also touched her bottom.

Judge Jonathan Moses presided over the court martial on Monday. Photo / Jeremy Wilkinson

Over the course of the night, the soldier groped each of the women once more in the same manner again.

The prosecution alleges he attempted to reach for one of the staff member’s groin, which encompasses the fifth indecent assault charge.

The court was shown CCTV footage from the bar which pictured the alleged reach for the woman’s groin. The soldier’s lawyer, Matthew Hague, said that it was unintentional and under questioning the woman agreed that it didn’t appear to be a deliberate grab for her.

Prosecutor Lieutenant James Olsen said that it was also the Crown’s case that the soldier became aggressive with a third staff member at the bar when confronted about having touched her colleagues.

It’s alleged that he was overheard saying to a fellow soldier “If I went for her would you back me up” while pointing at the staff member.

Under evidence one of the bar staff said that they had cut the soldier off after he became visibly intoxicated by about 7pm.

She said she saw him touch her colleague’s bottom and pushed his hand away.

The NZ Army private pleaded guilty to four charges of indecent assault. Photo / Jeremy Wilkinson

“I could visibly see that she was uncomfortable and didn’t know what to do,” she said.

Then, later in the evening, she claims she overheard the private asking another soldier “If I went for her, would you back me up?” and pointing at her.

“I felt unsafe in that environment,” the woman said, before going back to the bar.

Much later in the evening, the woman said she found the soldier in the cleaning cupboard and asked him to get out. He complied and then outside the bar she says he took a step toward her and when she moved back allegedly said “What are you scared of me or something?” in a manner she described as aggressive.

Another witness called before the court, whom the soldier had touched inappropriately earlier in the night, claimed that he also asked her to get into the cleaning cupboard with him, which she refused.

A lieutenant who was on duty as a security officer on the evening turned up at the bar after receiving a call from the staff.

She said under evidence today that she spoke to the private about his behaviour that night and claims that he called her a “ball bag” and a “motherf***er” in response before rejoining his friends inside the bar.

The court martial will continue tomorrow.

Jeremy Wilkinson is an Open Justice reporter based in Manawatū covering courts and justice issues with an interest in tribunals. He has been a journalist for nearly a decade and has worked for NZME since 2022.