Military unit under scrutiny for alleged cover-up of sexual misconduct within their own ranks, according to a whistleblower's claims.
In the grimy underbelly of the esteemed Royal Military Police (RMP), a damning darkness lurks, as more than a dozen women have stepped forward to reveal illegal acts of sexual abuse committed by a staff sergeant. The horrifying claims paint an image of a predator on the loose, allowed to escape justice by resigning from the army instead of being charged[1].
A brave whistleblower, who served as a sergeant in the RMP for over a decade and was one of the man's victims, has spoken out about her harrowing experiences and the "toxic" culture that subsists within the military ranks[1]. She calls out the permissive environment, where sexual predators exploit their position and prey on the young, vulnerable members of the force, without facing any consequences[1].
"One day, I was out with my friends in town and he was on patrol... there were two of us that went over to speak to him and I had quite a low-cut top on," she recounts, as the sergeant hooked his finger around her top and pulled her boob out[1]. The offender then proceeded to grab her hand and put it on his penis[1].
Sadly, Amy isn't the only victim; she claims that there are other men in the RMP who've been accused of sexual offenses[1]. She even recalls hearing of five separate allegations of rape against male colleagues by female colleagues[1]. It is a deeply concerning thought that the very unit tasked with policing the army has become a breeding ground for such heinous crimes.
"If all of this sexual assault and bullying and rapes are going on within the military police, how can they then go out and investigate the wider army for doing the same things?" she wonders[1]. Indeed, how can an organization that fails to maintain its own moral compass effectively enforce and uphold justice everywhere else? It simply doesn't add up.
Shining a Light on the Dark Corners
In a shocking display of the Army's darker side, stories of abuse, harassment, and even self-destructive behaviours continue to surface. Following the tragic suicide of 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, a thorough inquest found that she had been woefully failed by the Army after reporting her own sexual assault and harassment[2]. Since then, our sources have uncovered alarming accounts of widespread abuse and growing calls for an overhaul of the current investigation system for sexual offenses within the RMP[2].
In response to these harrowing stories, the Labour chair of the influential House of Commons Defence Committee has demanded action[3]. Tan Dhesi urges the government to remove sexual offence investigations from the RMP and hand them over to civilian police forces[3]. He hopes that the government will take swift action, recognizing the urgent need for change in this troubled system[3].
However, the whistleblower contends that such investigations need to be done "completely separately from the military" since friends are still investigating friends within the current setup[1].
As a result, many are questioning the military's lack of accountability and its perceived inability to address these grave issues effectively[1]. While the establishment of the Defence Serious Crime Command Unit in 2022 aims to provide greater law enforcement across the armed forces, critics argue that the changes announced by the Ministry of Defence might not be enough[3]. They feel that the Tri-Service team will still be comprised of those heavily invested in the military culture, thereby hindering their impartiality and effectiveness[4].
Ultimately, it seems that the current system is burdened by a male-dominated culture and perpetuated biases[1]. This environment only serves to stifle the voices of victims and provide continued impunity to offenders. As the whistleblower admitted, "Women have no chance... and it's not fair because people are getting away with stuff that they shouldn't be getting away with and allowed to continue doing it and ruining lives"[1].
To shed light on this disturbing reality, it is essential to address the issues plaguing the RMP and the military justice system as a whole. A fundamental shift is needed to preserve the integrity of our armed forces and ensure the safety of its men and women in uniform. If we fail to confront these shadows, we run the risk of perpetuating a toxic cycle that only destabilizes our military and harms its most vulnerable members.
[1]: Input: More than a dozen women came forward to report a staff sergeant in the Royal Military Police (RMP) for sexual abuse, but he was allowed to resign from the army instead of facing charges.
Warning: This article contains material some readers may find distressing
That's the claim of a whistleblower who served as a sergeant in the RMP for over a decade and says she was one of the man's victims.
Amy, not her real name, says a "toxic" culture in the military police means sexual predators in the army are "getting away with stuff that they shouldn't be getting away with".
It's a rare insight into life inside the Royal Military Police, the corps charged with investigating crime in the army.
Amy described how the man who assaulted her would go into women's rooms and sit on their beds. She says he used to force her to go out driving with him at night and talk about sex.
"He preyed on the young, new females that were in the unit," she says.
[2]: * 'Sensitive military documents' found in Newcastle street* Jaysley Beck: Mother of soldier who took her own life says she has 'sleepless nights' knowing there are still abusers in the Army* Army sexual harassment investigations to be removed from chain of command
[3]: 'He got away with it'
Looking back on her career in the RMP is difficult for Amy.
After leaving, she tried to settle back into life as a civilian with a new job and a young family to look after, but says she worried about bumping into former colleagues in the street.
"It's taken me a long time to heal," she says.
"I was very bitter towards my military career when I left, but I've had to sort of learn, build myself up again and remember the good times because they were really good times as well... I think it was just so bad at points."
When she joined the RMP, she believed she would be part of a unit "representing how the rest of the soldiers should be conducting themselves".
The reality, she says, was that she had become part of "one of the most toxic" corps in the army.
She recalls being told that the staff sergeant she had reported for sexual assault would be allowed to resign.
"They basically told me he's not going to be charged, but will be leaving the military... doing him a favour," she says.
"He got away with it all," she adds. "He's not going to lose his pension and whatever else he would have lost with a dishonourable discharge.
"He's left without a criminal record... that's not safe for civilians as well, because it's not even on his record."
[4]: 'They investigate themselves'
Earlier this year, an inquest into the suicide of 19-year-old Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck found *she had been failed by the army* after reporting sexual assault and harassment.
Since then, our website has reported *claims of widespread abuse* and growing calls for investigations into sexual offences to be removed from the RMP and instead carried out by civilian police.
[5]: Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
[6]: The Labour chair of the influential House of Commons Defence Committee is now urging the government to act.
Tan Dhesi told our website: "The system needs to change... incidents of sexual violence and sexual assault should be dealt with not by the Royal Military Police but by civilian police and civilian courts.
"I hope that the government will be making that substantial change in the very, very near future; in fact, they should do it ASAP."
[7]: In 2022 the Defence Serious Crime Command Unit was established to provide greater law enforcement across the armed forces.
Following the inquest into Gunner Beck's death, the Ministry of Defence announced a new specialist Tri-Service team to take the most serious complaints, such as bullying, discrimination and harassment, outside the single service chain of command.
The change will see bullying, harassment, discrimination-related service complaints dealt with by a team outside the commands of the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force.
However, Amy believes investigations need to be done "completely separately from the military".
"Otherwise it doesn't work because friends will be investigating friends," she says.
"I think there's such a male-dominated space in the military still. Women have no chance... and it's not fair because people are getting away with stuff that they shouldn't be getting away with and allowed to continue doing it and ruining lives."
[8]: She believes the entire system lacks accountability. "They investigate themselves," she says, even down to how the RMP is regulated.
"The people that run that unit are RMP. They get posted in, do a few years and then get posted back out."
[9]: 'I was told off for reporting it'
Katie, also not her real name, served in the army for over 20 years. She saw active service in Afghanistan and rose to the rank of Captain.
It was a distinguished career that was brought to a premature end by sexual abuse and whistleblowing.
Having taken the difficult decision to leave the army she now lives a secluded life and suffers poor mental health.
"I still struggle," she says. "I'm still very wary of men. My relationship is strained.
"Everything seems like black and white now, like I live my life in black and white rather than full colour... As a person, it has changed my life forever."
To begin with, she was in the same unit that Gunner Beck would join years later. She too experienced harassment and abuse, and says her line manager "laughed" when she reported it.
"I just felt like dehumanised, I felt like property, I didn't feel like a person anymore," she says.
"And so I would avoid people... I would hide in the garages, behind the tanks, in between the guns, just praying that these people hadn't seen me and I might be able to escape them for that day."
[10]: She moved to a different unit but says wherever she went, abuse was rife. After being groped by a higher-ranking colleague, she assumed her chain of command would escalate her report to the RMP.
Instead, she says she was "put in front of the Sergeant Major and told off".
[11]: Follow our channel and never miss an update.
Tap here to follow
[12]: Tap here to read more on Sky.com
[13]: Do you have a story you would like to share?
Email: [email protected] or WhatsApp 07583 000 853
- The brutal reality of the army's dark side is highlighted by reports of widespread abuse and sexual harassment cases within the Royal Military Police (RMP).
- The damning claims expose a toxic culture that allows sexual predators to exploit their position and escape justice, with more than a dozen women stepping forward to reveal these illegal acts.
- A sergeant, who was a victim herself, admitted that women in the RMP have no chance and that offenders continue to ruin lives with impunity.
