This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/apr/20/anne-marie-ellement-army-sexualised-culture

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Anne-Marie Ellement case puts spotlight on sexualised army culture Anne-Marie Ellement case puts spotlight on sexualised army culture
(35 minutes later)
It began with drinking and flirting in a barracks bar-room in Germany almost seven years ago. Since then there have been two inquests, two criminal investigations and now a court martial.It began with drinking and flirting in a barracks bar-room in Germany almost seven years ago. Since then there have been two inquests, two criminal investigations and now a court martial.
What was described by one of the barristers as an “extraordinary saga” has raised worrying questions about how the military investigates allegations of sex attacks and the care it provides to complainants, and once again focuses attention on a sexualised culture within the army.What was described by one of the barristers as an “extraordinary saga” has raised worrying questions about how the military investigates allegations of sex attacks and the care it provides to complainants, and once again focuses attention on a sexualised culture within the army.
Anne-Marie Ellement, a 28-year-old corporal in the Royal Military Police, was having a tough time in the winter of 2009. Stationed at Sennelager in central Germany, she did not fit in. She felt like an outsider, not really part of the unit and not particularly popular with colleagues of either sex.Anne-Marie Ellement, a 28-year-old corporal in the Royal Military Police, was having a tough time in the winter of 2009. Stationed at Sennelager in central Germany, she did not fit in. She felt like an outsider, not really part of the unit and not particularly popular with colleagues of either sex.
On the night of 19 November, rather than join a group of female colleagues in the television room at the barracks, she decided to go to the corporals’ mess bar.On the night of 19 November, rather than join a group of female colleagues in the television room at the barracks, she decided to go to the corporals’ mess bar.
There she drank and joked with Jeremy Jones and Thomas Fulton, successful and popular colleagues six years her junior, and ended up in the former’s room. She appeared pleased to be receiving some attention.There she drank and joked with Jeremy Jones and Thomas Fulton, successful and popular colleagues six years her junior, and ended up in the former’s room. She appeared pleased to be receiving some attention.
At 1.37am, she was found by a female colleague outside her accommodation crying and naked apart from a brown cardigan, apparently very drunk and with muddy feet.At 1.37am, she was found by a female colleague outside her accommodation crying and naked apart from a brown cardigan, apparently very drunk and with muddy feet.
She claimed she had been raped and Jones and Fulton, who were in a taxi on their way to a nightclub in town, were ordered back to base and arrested.She claimed she had been raped and Jones and Fulton, who were in a taxi on their way to a nightclub in town, were ordered back to base and arrested.
A seven-strong board of civil servants and senior military officers at Bulford court martial centre found both Fulton and Jones not guilty on Wednesday of two charges of raping Ellement. On Wednesday a seven-strong board of civil servants and senior military officers at Bulford court martial centre found both Fulton and Jones not guilty of two charges of raping Ellement.
In a haunting video interview – which was played to the court martial board five years after she killed herself – Ellement said she remembered Fulton being “on top of me” and her saying: “No, it’s really hurting.” She added: “The last thing I remember is Jez grabbing my breasts. Then I have a massive memory block and I can’t remember anything. I can’t remember how I got back to my accommodation.” In a haunting video interview that was played to the court martial board five years after she killed herself, Ellement said she remembered Fulton being “on top of me” and her saying: “No, it’s really hurting.” She added: “The last thing I remember is Jez grabbing my breasts. Then I have a massive memory block and I can’t remember anything. I can’t remember how I got back to my accommodation.”
Ellement’s allegations were investigated and the details were passed on to the Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA), who decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.Ellement’s allegations were investigated and the details were passed on to the Service Prosecuting Authority (SPA), who decided there was insufficient evidence to prosecute.
The details of what happened next were not given to the court martial board but were aired at Ellement’s second inquest two years ago (members of her family campaigned for a second, believing the first was cursory and flawed). That hearing was told the rape allegation was a catalyst for harassment and bullying. Ellement was the target of vicious verbal abuse.The details of what happened next were not given to the court martial board but were aired at Ellement’s second inquest two years ago (members of her family campaigned for a second, believing the first was cursory and flawed). That hearing was told the rape allegation was a catalyst for harassment and bullying. Ellement was the target of vicious verbal abuse.
Such was the concern over Ellement that she was placed on a suicide risk register but this warning was not passed on to officers when she was transferred to Bulford in Wiltshire – coincidentally the setting for the court martial – where she committed suicide in October 2011 three days after her 30th birthday. Such was the concern over Ellement that she was placed on a suicide risk register, but this warning was not passed on to officers when she was transferred to Bulford in Wiltshire – coincidentally the setting for the court martial – where she killed herself in October 2011, three days after her 30th birthday.
The deputy coroner, Nicholas Rheinberg, said the failure to pass on the warning that she was a suicide risk was “unforgivably bad”. Rheinberg also noted a punishing pattern of long shifts and a workload that saw Ellement often deal with files late at night and at weekends. In addition, she had difficulties with her fitness and weight, in part due to a knee injury, the coroner said, and was mocked by some colleagues as “Anne-Marie Elephant”. The deputy coroner Nicholas Rheinberg said the failure to pass on the warning that she was a suicide risk was “unforgivably bad”. Rheinberg also noted a punishing pattern of long shifts and a workload that saw Ellement often deal with files late at night and at weekends. In addition, she had difficulties with her fitness and weight, in part due to a knee injury, the coroner said, and was mocked by some colleagues as “Anne-Marie Elephant”.
The coroner concluded Ellement was “deeply and permanently affected” by the alleged rape and felt betrayed when the army initially took no action over it. He said he would write to the government about sexual violence within the military and called for better training to be provided on the assessment of soldiers vulnerable to suicide.The coroner concluded Ellement was “deeply and permanently affected” by the alleged rape and felt betrayed when the army initially took no action over it. He said he would write to the government about sexual violence within the military and called for better training to be provided on the assessment of soldiers vulnerable to suicide.
After the inquest, Brig John Donnelly, the army’s head of personal services, said it deeply regretted Ellement’s death and apologised to her family for errors. He said the army now had a “clear understanding” of the circumstances surrounding her death and where the army needed to learn lessons.After the inquest, Brig John Donnelly, the army’s head of personal services, said it deeply regretted Ellement’s death and apologised to her family for errors. He said the army now had a “clear understanding” of the circumstances surrounding her death and where the army needed to learn lessons.
By the time of the second inquest, Jones and Fulton had been charged with rape. At the request of members of Ellement’s family, the then director of service prosecutions (DSP) had referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service for a review.By the time of the second inquest, Jones and Fulton had been charged with rape. At the request of members of Ellement’s family, the then director of service prosecutions (DSP) had referred the case to the Crown Prosecution Service for a review.
The new DSP, Andrew Cayley, said he was satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to charge the defendants and it was in the public and service interest to prosecute them. He added: “In coming to this decision I have concluded that the original decision by the SPA not to prosecute was wrong.” The new DSP, Andrew Cayley, said he was satisfied that there was sufficient evidence to charge the defendants and that it was in the public and service interest to prosecute them. He added: “In coming to this decision I have concluded that the original decision by the SPA not to prosecute was wrong.”
During the court martial at Bulford, Jones and Fulton insisted they had had a consensual “threesome” in which Ellement was a willing and enthusiastic participant.During the court martial at Bulford, Jones and Fulton insisted they had had a consensual “threesome” in which Ellement was a willing and enthusiastic participant.
The court martial has exposed disturbing attitudes to women. Fulton said Ellement had left wearing his trousers. He told how he followed her and shouted for her to give him his trousers back. “I said something along the lines of: ‘Give me back my fucking trousers.’ She said no. I said: ‘Stop being a cunt,’” he said. The court martial has exposed disturbing attitudes towards women. Fulton said Ellement had left wearing his trousers. He told how he followed her and shouted for her to give him his trousers back. “I said something along the lines of: ‘Give me back my fucking trousers.’ She said no. I said: ‘Stop being a cunt,’” he said.
In a police interview Fulton suggested the threesome had been a joke. He said: “I would never have slept with Anne-Marie on my own, but because it was Jez I thought it was funny. We were all laughing and joking all the way through.” Another soldier said Ellement was not even seen as a “good sexual conquest”.In a police interview Fulton suggested the threesome had been a joke. He said: “I would never have slept with Anne-Marie on my own, but because it was Jez I thought it was funny. We were all laughing and joking all the way through.” Another soldier said Ellement was not even seen as a “good sexual conquest”.
The human rights group Liberty, which has supported Ellement’s sisters in their campaign to find out exactly what happened to her, claims the army is still not doing enough.The human rights group Liberty, which has supported Ellement’s sisters in their campaign to find out exactly what happened to her, claims the army is still not doing enough.
It points out that at the ongoing inquest into the death of 18-year-old Pte Cheryl James, who died of a gunshot wound at Deepcut barracks in Surrey in 1995, Donnelly admitted that changing an army culture that includes problems with harassment and overly sexualised behaviour was still likely to take a number of years.It points out that at the ongoing inquest into the death of 18-year-old Pte Cheryl James, who died of a gunshot wound at Deepcut barracks in Surrey in 1995, Donnelly admitted that changing an army culture that includes problems with harassment and overly sexualised behaviour was still likely to take a number of years.
That inquest has been told that a survey of 24,000 servicemen and women two years ago found the majority of those who responded thought the army had an overly sexualised culture – a figure Donnelly agreed had been a “wakeup call”. That inquest has been told that a survey of 24,000 servicemen and women two years ago found the majority of those who responded thought the army had an overly sexualised culture – a figure Donnelly agreed had been a “wake-up call”.
He said a number of changes had been made, including a confidential support line, a “female focus” officer attached to each unit to provide advice, and better awareness of how to make complaints. But he admitted he was troubled by figures from the 2014 survey suggesting a number of serving soldiers still did not have faith in their own complaints system.He said a number of changes had been made, including a confidential support line, a “female focus” officer attached to each unit to provide advice, and better awareness of how to make complaints. But he admitted he was troubled by figures from the 2014 survey suggesting a number of serving soldiers still did not have faith in their own complaints system.
The criminal element of the Anne-Marie Ellement case may be over but her family and Liberty believe there are still deep issues to address.The criminal element of the Anne-Marie Ellement case may be over but her family and Liberty believe there are still deep issues to address.