Eight sexual assault cases tied to Defence Forces, reports reveal

RTÉ News​

31-07-2025

Eight cases of sexual assault involving members of the Defence Forces were before the military or Garda authorities by March 2024, according to new internal reports obtained by RTÉ Investigates.
The reports detail cases of alleged assault, sexual assault and "inappropriate behaviour."
Most cases involve one member assaulting another, often linked to allegations of bullying or harassment.
However, one alleged assault case with the Gardaí refers to a "domestic situation", in which a Defence Forces member was accused of the physical assault of an unnamed individual.
Five of the cases were with the military authorities – either under investigation by the Military Police or with military prosecutors – while three had been referred to An Garda Síochána for criminal investigation.
The figures are contained in two anonymised reports prepared by the Defence Forces. They were submitted to the Department of Defence last year and were recently obtained by RTÉ Investigates.
One of the reports relates to cases under investigation by the Military Police or under consideration by military prosecutors as of March 2024. The other refers to cases that were initially with the Military Police, which forwarded those cases to Gardaí by March 2024 for investigation.
The reports also reveal that 13 assault cases were before the military authorities or the Gardaí by March 2024 and refer to seven cases involving inappropriate behaviour.
Criminal controversies
In recent years, the Defence Forces have come under intense scrutiny for their response to the criminal behaviour of some of their members.
A 2021 RTÉ radio documentary, "Women of Honour", brought national attention to the experiences of female personnel who were sexually harassed or assaulted while serving in the military.
Last year, there was widespread public revulsion when soldier Cathal Crotty was given a fully suspended sentence after pleading guilty to assaulting Limerick woman, Natasha O'Brien.
The sentence was appealed. Crotty, who was later discharged from the military, was jailed earlier this year.
These controversies have prompted several internal and external reports in recent years, relating to the Defence Forces.
An independent review, completed in 2023 and initiated following the Women of Honour campaign, criticised how military authorities handled complaints of sexual violence. It described a culture where victims are often discouraged from filing formal complaints and where investigations are "bungled" and "last for years."
After this review, the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence at the time, Micheál Martin, announced in April 2023 that all allegations of sexual assault involving serving members of the Defence Forces would be referred directly to An Garda Síochána.
Meanwhile, in 2024, following the Crotty case, several other reports on the Defence Forces were completed. Among them were two anonymised internal reports outlining cases investigated by the military authorities and, separately, An Garda Síochána, which RTÉ Investigates recently obtained in a Freedom of Information request.
Assaults linked to social events
One of the internal reports, relating to investigations conducted by the military authorities only, stated that by the end of March 2024, there were a total of 10 alleged assault cases, five sexual assault cases and five others involving inappropriate behaviour.
It noted that some of the cases predated the referral direction in April 2023.
Of the five alleged sexual assault cases within the military system, three were described as having occurred during various social events.
In one case, a Defence Forces member allegedly sexually assaulted a colleague during a social event outside work. The alleged victim declined to engage with Military Police investigators and had not returned to duty.
In another, an alleged sexual assault took place during a work-related social gathering, while a third involved a separate incident during a social event.
In a separate case, a male private reported an alleged sexual assault and complained of inappropriate sexual behaviour by a colleague.
Another case detailed allegations that a male Defence Forces member had sexually harassed and assaulted a colleague.
Under investigation by the Gardaí
The other internal report, which relates to cases referred to An Garda Síochána by the military authorities, refers to three alleged sexual assault cases, three assault cases, and two involving inappropriate behaviour.
The sexual assault cases had not progressed to the civilian courts and remained under investigation by the end of March 2024.
Two of those alleged sexual assault cases involved the Naval Service, while in the third case, a male recruit was accused of sexually assaulting a female recruit and engaging in inappropriate behaviour.
'Things don't get reported'
Diane Byrne, a former army officer and spokesperson for the Women of Honour campaign, said that the number of cases contained in the internal reports represented a small proportion of complaints involving members of the Defence Forces.
"First of all, lots of things don't get reported," she told RTÉ Investigates.
"Second of all, sometimes things do get reported, but then they're not investigated properly. At those stages along the way, the volume just gets smaller and smaller. And then you're left with really just a handful of cases."
Ms Byrne claimed that the military justice system was "designed to wear out the person making the complaint and keep them in the dark."
"There's very little information that comes across. It takes huge effort on the part of a victim to consistently push, to be fobbed off, to keep coming back and keep coming back. It could take years of absolutely no communications whatsoever."
'Two different stories'
Through the Women of Honour group, RTÉ Investigates spoke with two women who have each made separate complaints about members of the Defence Forces and have direct experience of the military criminal justice system.
After reviewing the two anonymised reports obtained by RTÉ Investigates, Ms Byrne said these women's cases do not appear to be included. However, due to their vague presentation, she cannot say this with certainty.
Both women say they have not received clear updates on the status of their complaints or the specific offences they reported.
Last month, Ruth Coppinger TD referred to one of those women in the Dáil during oral questions.
She told the current Minister for Defence, Simon Harris, that she had spoken with a woman who claimed to have been abused by an Army member.
"He used his Army position, military surveillance, Army guns and even a grenade to threaten her and her family," she said. "He told this woman he was untouchable."
Ms Coppinger added that the woman had been informed by the Defence Forces in July 2024 that the investigation into her case had concluded and that she would be sent the results.
However, this information appeared to conflict with other information provided in response to a written parliamentary question submitted last April.
In his written response, Mr Harris said: "The military authorities have advised me that these allegations were referred to An Garda Síochána and that the matter remains under investigation."
"Which is it?" Ms Coppinger asked last month. "The woman has been given two different accounts."
She also said that she believed that the soldier in question is currently on special leave with full pay.
In response, Mr Harris told the Dáil he would look into the matter.
Military Police allegedly met victim in a hotel bar
The woman referred to by Ms Coppinger told RTÉ Investigates that she had been stalked and harassed over several years by a member of the Defence Forces. She also alleged that she had been physically assaulted.
She reported the matter to the military authorities but was unhappy with how the Military Police handled her case.
After complaining about the member in question, two Military Police officers arranged to meet her in a hotel bar, which she did despite feeling this setting was inappropriate and unprofessional, given the sensitive nature of her allegations.
The woman insisted on a follow-up meeting in a more private location, which the Military Police agreed to.
Her account of the meeting was confirmed by Diane Byrne, who accompanied her for support.
'We operate a victim-centred approach'
In a statement to RTÉ Investigates, the Defence Forces said it would be inappropriate "to comment on specific cases or allegations."
"Our Military Police personnel are trained to the highest standard and operate a victim-centred approach," the statement said. "All allegations of a sexual nature are now referred to An Garda Síochána."
The Defence Forces explained that they had introduced several measures in recent years to help prevent unacceptable behaviour and cited the establishment of a Gender, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at Defence Forces Headquarters as an example.
"Should unacceptable behaviour occur within the Defence Forces, there are robust procedures in place to protect the victim, investigate the allegation and deliver justice where necessary," it concluded.
Separately, the Department of Defence told RTÉ Investigates that an "external oversight body of the Defence Forces" was created in April 2023 on a non-statutory basis and was later placed on a statutory footing in December 2024.
The Department described this body as a "critical element" in driving cultural change within the Defence Forces.
It further noted that a Tribunal of Inquiry was established in June 2024 to review how the Defence Forces handle complaints involving discrimination, bullying, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct.
The Tribunal's website states that it has three years from June 2024 to complete its work.
'Lack of understanding'
Through the Women of Honour group, RTÉ Investigates spoke with a second woman who says that a male colleague in the Defence Forces sexually harassed her.
She says he tried to pressure her into a sexual relationship in exchange for preferential treatment, and when she refused, he began to bully her.
The woman told RTÉ Investigates that she gave a statement to the Military Police in 2023 but was also dissatisfied with how they handled her case. She said her statement was also taken in a public setting and did not accurately reflect her account of what happened.
The Defence Forces declined to answer queries concerning this woman's case.
However, Donna von Allemann, legal director of Rape Crisis Ireland, told RTÉ Investigates that there was an "obvious lack of privacy and confidentiality" in conducting interviews with assault victims in a public place, and said that this was unacceptable.
"The lack of a basic understanding of the effects of trauma on a survivor is hugely problematic," she added.
"It calls into question whether the skills or expertise of the Military Police when investigating sexual violence are up to the standards necessary to effectively investigate these types of crimes," Ms von Allemann said.
'A wall of silence'
Meanwhile, the woman told RTÉ Investigates she was unhappy with the level of information she received from the military authorities about the progress of her case.
Earlier this year, she learned informally that it was not being pursued. In April, she requested an update from the Military Police on why her case was not being progressed, but says she has yet to receive a response.
Ms von Allemann said her organisation has supported survivors of sexual abuse within the military and noted that those individuals face "complex military structures" and can encounter a "wall of silence."
Survivors of sexual violence experience additional difficulty when they are not properly informed about developments in their case, Ms von Allemann told RTÉ Investigates.
"It should not fall to the survivor to have to spend countless hours, days and even months, trying to gain access to information," Ms von Allemann added.
Military authorities are excluded from victims' legislation
The second woman RTÉ Investigates spoke with also said that the Defence Forces gave her a handbook outlining her rights as a victim of crime within the military system.
The handbook says victims are entitled to "information" and notes that "during the investigation of your complaint, you may ask the [Military Police]… to inform you of developments in the investigation."
It also states that victims' legal rights are "primarily set out in the Criminal Justice (Victims of Crime) Act, 2017", a law designed to give victims access to information and the ability to seek a review of decisions not to prosecute.
But the woman discovered that while the legislation applies to An Garda Síochána and the Director of Public Prosecutions, it does not refer to the Military Police or the Director of Military Prosecutions.
As a result, victims of crime in the military justice system have fewer legal rights than those in the civilian system when it comes to accessing case information. Crucially, the former cannot have a decision not to prosecute reviewed.
A Defence Forces spokesperson confirmed that the legislation does not apply to the military.
However, the spokesperson told RTÉ Investigates that the military treats the legislation as a statement of best practice and "endeavours to afford victims in the military justice system the same rights as those covered by the 2017 Act."
The Department of Justice refused to say why the military authorities had been excluded from the legislation.