Latest news with #BurnhamMilitaryCamp
RNZ News
a day ago
- RNZ News
Corporal Manu Anthony Smith sentenced over intimate recording of woman without consent
Corporal Manu Smith. Photo: Pool / Stuff / Kai Schwoerer A soldier has been sentenced to two months detention in a military jail for making an intimate visual recording of a woman without her consent. Corporal Manu Anthony Smith made the recording while having sex with his now-former girlfriend in 2020. The sentencing followed a three-day court martial at Burnham Military Camp. The 41-year-old has also been ordered to pay $2000 in compensation to the woman. Smith will remain in the army, but will be on a formal written warning for the next year. On Wednesday, a three-person military panel found Smith guilty of taking the images of the woman during sexual activity between August and December 2020. Two other charges against Smith were dropped on the second day of the hearing. Before the verdict was reached, the woman who was filmed by Smith told the court martial she felt ashamed and embarrassed about the recording. Smith's commanding officer told the court he was a diligent and enthusiastic soldier and had been decorated for his service in Afghanistan's Bamiyan province. His sisters spoke of his mana and dedication to the armed forces. During his summing up on Wednesday morning, Judge Gilbert said the case was one of law not of morals. He said the panel must not let beliefs about the way Smith or the complainants were living their lives colour deliberations. In a court martial, all three members of a military panel must agree unanimously on a verdict. The panel deliberated for less than two hours before returning the guilty verdict. Judge Gilbert said neither party disputed Smith made the video. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
Corporal Manu Smith guilty of taking intimate images of a woman without consent
Corporal Manu Smith of the Royal New Zealand Infantry appears for the Court Martial proceeding held at the Burnham Military Camp to face three charges of making intimate visual recordings. Photo: Pool / Stuff / Kai Schwoerer A soldier has been found guilty of taking intimate images of a woman without consent. Corporal Manu Smith was facing a court martial on one count of making intimate visual recordings. The three-person military panel found Corporal Smith guilty of taking images of the woman without her knowledge or consent. Corporal Smith was facing three counts under the Armed Forces Discipline Act, but on Tuesday morning Justice Tom Gilbert advised the military panel he had granted the defence's request to drop two of the charges . The two charges were dismissed for legal reasons, because in light of the evidence he ruled that a properly directed panel could not reasonably convict on those charges. Corporal Smith earlier said the pair had talked about boundaries and they had discussed filming sexual encounters - and said if she had asked him to stop, he would have. The hearing, at Burnham Military Camp, was earlier told Corporal Smith laughed about the accusations when he was confronted . Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
