A FEMALE sailor allegedly carried out several “opportunistic sexual assaults” against men and women while onboard a Royal Navy destroyer, a court heard.
Able Seaman Sian Dowsett, 25, has been accused of being a “cancer on the ship” after she reportedly squeezed the other sailor’s breasts and bums.
AB Dowsett is accused of groping two men and two women but denies all charges.
She allegedly grabbed the male sailors by their crotch, stroked their arms and made comments, a court martial heard.
On one occasion, AB Dowsett allegedly told a shipmate: “I like my coffee how I like my men, big and strong.”
One male shipmate told Bulford Military Court that AB Dowsett was a “cancer on the ship”.
Her offences “ranged from nipple pinching to bottom slapping and genital grabbing,” the court heard.
AB Dowsett denied the seven counts of sexual assault against two men and two women while based on HMS Dauntless between 2023 and 2024.
The alleged attacks made the shipmates feel “uncomfortable” and her actions were “unwanted” and “non-consensual”, the court was told.
She said in a police interview that she was “heterosexual” but had “bisexual tendencies” in the past.
Graham Coombes, prosecuting, said that just three weeks into her deployment, AB Dowsett slapped the bottom of a male colleague in front of another sailor.
The Able Seaman told AB Dowsett that he would report her if she ever “slapped him on the arse again”.
In his police interview, the man said: “It is just disrespectful. A lack of respect really. I wouldn’t do that at all and the fact that she has done that three times is just ridiculous.
“Unfortunately, she is a bit of a cancer on the ship. She has affected the ship very negatively. She has definitely hindered me and my girlfriend’s relationship.”
Michael Green, defending, said that the sailor was making up the allegations.
The Able Seaman responded: “I have no reason to make three allegations up for no reason. I tried to give her the benefit of the doubt and help her out.
“Why would I do that and then try to make these allegations up. Of this was the other way round I would be out the door, but the fact that it is the other side of the field, it is not ok.”
Mr Coombes also said that AB Dowsett had grabbed the breasts of a naked Petty Officer while she was changing and asked: “Do you like that baby girl?”
The barrister added that the alleged touching was “both unwanted and she felt that it was sexual in nature”.
The officer told the court she was surprised because she and AB Dowsett were not friends.
On another occasion, AB Dowsett allegedly told a male Leading Hand “I like my coffee how I like my men, big and strong”.
When they were taking lessons together, AB Dowsett “pinched his left nipple” on and off for around half an hour, while keeping eye contact with him, the court heard.
The barrister said the sailor froze and didn’t want to report it.
AB Dowsett also allegedly grabbed the same man’s crutch when they were returning from deployment.
The sailor reportedly smacked the bottom of a female Able Seaman with “such force that she caused her bottom to sting“.
She then said “you have a really nice bottom to smack” and proceeded to hit the sailor two or three more times, the court was told.
The woman had only been on the ship for three days and was lying in her bunk, Mr Coombes told the court.
AB Dowsett claims allegations were ‘made up’ because her colleagues didn’t like her and there were rumours about her among her shipmates.
The four-day trial continues.
