Lieutenant accused of grabbing woman's bottom cleared of sex assault

Army Lieutenant, 25, accused of grabbing police officer’s bottom at a black tie event is cleared of sexual assault

• Lieutenant Sebastian Hampson, 25, was accused of groping the woman twice
• He denied being anywhere near the woman when the alleged assault took place
• Lt Hampson has now been acquitted of one count of sexual assault in court 

An Army officer accused of grabbing a policewoman’s bottom at a military black tie event has been cleared of sexual assault.

Lieutenant Sebastian Hampson, 25, was accused of groping the woman twice at a bar at an Army base following a formal dinner.

Prosecutors alleged the officer grabbed her bottom from behind then again just seconds later after ‘lurking’ by her.

Lt Hampson, who admitted he was ‘7/10 drunk’, insisted he wasn’t anywhere near the police officer.

Following a two-day trial at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, Lt Hampson was acquitted of one count of sexual assault.

Lt Hampson, of 12 Regiment Royal Artillery, had been accused of carrying out the sex assault around 11.50pm in the officer’s mess at Larkhill Army Base on Salisbury Plain, Wilts.

Lieutenant Sebastian Hampson (pictured), 25, was accused of groping the woman twice at a bar at an Army base following a formal dinner. He was today found not guilty

The woman – who cannot be named for legal reasons – was at the camp as the guest of an officer as part of a black tie dinner and drinks event.

She claimed she was left ‘on the verge of tears’ and was ‘shaken up’ by what took place as she chatted to another Army officer.

She told the court: ‘He kept trying to get in on the conversation with us [her and another Army officer].

‘He stumbled and touched my hip and I turned round to see what was going on. I saw that he was still there and then just carried on talking and ignored him.

‘Then he sort of mumbled and said ‘I’m sorry’ then I felt his hand touch my left buttock. It lasted for a second or so.

‘I thought it was an accident, but just a few seconds later he touched it again. I moved straight away… I was uncomfortable.’

Lt Hampson, who admitted he was ‘7/10 drunk’, insisted he wasn’t anywhere near the police officer 

A panel of Army officers acquitted Lt Hampson, who has served for three years, after about two hours and 40 minutes. Pictured: Bulford Military Court where the trial took place

The police officer said minutes before the alleged incident she and Lt Hampson were in conversation – but that she moved away because he kept ‘encroaching’ in her personal space.

Giving evidence, Lt Hampson said: ‘I did not socialise with her, I did not know her at all. I did not touch her bottom at all.

‘I was not present when this event happened, I was not there with her when it happened.’

Answering an allegation that he locked himself in his room after the incident, he said: ‘I had gone to bed early, I did not stay in the room and ignore them, I stayed in there and went to bed.’

When questioning the police officer, barrister Alejandra Tascon, defending Lt Hampson, said the woman was confused over who might have touched her bottom.

Ms Tascon said: ‘I’m going to say the male you described as Seb didn’t touch your bottom, and you don’t know that it was Lt Hampson.

‘I’m gong to suggest that there has been some miscommunication about who was named Seb. It could have been anyone that touched your bottom.’

A panel of Army officers acquitted Lt Hampson, who has served for three years, after about two hours and 40 minutes.

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