A Royal Navy officer sexually assaulted a female colleague in an AirBnB after a night out during a girls’ holiday, a court martial heard.
Lieutenant Liam Humphries allegedly “took full advantage” of the drunken sailor while the £3.5bn aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was docked in Florida.
Having met the sailor at a nightclub in Daytona Beach, Lieutenant Humphries is accused of sexually abusing her while she was passed out in an apartment she was renting with friends.
The sailor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she did not remember leaving the nightclub and told the court-martial that Lieutenant Humphries abused her “at my most vulnerable point.”
Lieutenant Humphries was informed to Navy bosses when the sailor returned to HMS Prince of Wales. Bulford Military Court, Wilts, heard the incident occurred as the 65,000 tonne aircraft carrier was traveling to the United States.
The ship, one of the most advanced warships in the world, this week became the flagship of the Royal Navy’s fleet, replacing its sister ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth.
At Bulford Military Court, Lieutenant Humphries denied a charge of sexual assault by penetration, claiming the encounter was consensual.
Opening the case, prosecutor Col. Jim Carmichael said the sailor could not have given consent because she was unconscious.
Lieutenant Liam Humphries allegedly “took full advantage” of the drunken sailor while the £3.5bn aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales was docked in Florida.
HMS Prince of Wales, one of the most advanced warships in the world, this week became the flagship of the Royal Navy fleet, replacing her sister ship HMS Queen Elizabeth.
At Bulford Military Court, Lieutenant Humphries denied a charge of sexual assault by penetration, claiming the encounter was consensual.
Colonel Carmichael said: ‘(The victim) was serving on board HMS Prince of Wales, also serving on board was Lieutenant Humphries, he was an education officer.
‘The Prince of Wales docked in Florida, (the victim) and her friends decided to spend a girls’ vacation in Daytona Beach, between 20 and 30 male agents were also present (in the city).
‘(The victim) and his friends had pizza and drinks, went to downtown Daytona Beach for a night out.
‘Towards the end of the night he went to the nightclub bathroom, he doesn’t remember anything from then until he woke up in his AirBnB.
“The first thing she remembers is that she woke up in bed with the defendant (engaging in sexual activity with her)… she had not consented to this.”
He continued: “In a text conversation (the victim) confronted the defendant about what had happened the night before.”
When the defendant was questioned under caution, he was asked about the sexual activity and said he had done it but was under the impression she had consented.
He went on to say that he had held her hair back while she was vomiting, the court martial heard.
“She (then) got upset about her ex-boyfriend and left the room.”
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales arrives at Glenmallen on Loch Long, Argyll and Bute, on 22 November.
‘The defense is… she consented to this. The issue in this case is simple: she could not have given consent because she was unconscious at the time.’
The sailor told friends the next day that she thought she had been drugged, although a test at a Florida clinic came back negative, the court heard.
When the sailors returned to HMS Prince of Wales, she immediately reported the incident to the police officer on board.
The sailor said she was “vulnerable” and that Lieutenant Humphries “took advantage” of her in a video interview shown to the court-martial.
In a police interview, she said: ‘I didn’t feel like myself.
‘I thought I just wanted this to end, I don’t want this to happen to me.
‘He took full advantage of me when I passed out.
‘I didn’t think this would happen to me.
“At my most vulnerable point he took advantage of me.”
HMS Prince Of Wales is one of the Royal Navy’s most prestigious ships, housing more than 1,500 personnel and up to 48 stealth fighter aircraft.
The trial, which is expected to last a week, continues.