Dutch soldier accused of sexually assaulting female colleague

The military department of the court in Arnhem is handling a case on Thursday involving a female soldier being sexually assaulted by a male soldiers, as two of their colleagues filmed the incident. The assault happened at the Luitenant-generaal Best barracks in Vredepeel in October last year, the Telegraaf reports.

The two soldiers ended up in the same room after a night out. The young woman could not get into her own accommodations and asked her male colleague if she could spend the night in his room, according to the newspaper.

The female soldier was slightly intoxicated and fell asleep immediately. The 31-year-old soldier, who was heavily intoxicated, molested her and penetrated her vagina with his fingers. Two other soldiers recorded a video and took photos while this happened.

The young woman woke up and hurriedly left the room. She refused to press charges, so her commander took that step, according to the Telegraaf.

The soldier suspected of sexually assaulting his colleague was suspended pending his trial. The other two soldiers, who filmed the assault, were dismissed. "Such behavior can not be tolerated", a spokesperson for the Armed Forces said to the Telegraaf. "For these people, there is no place in Defense."

Lawyer Sebas Diekstra, who is representing the 31-year-old soldier, claims that the case is more nuanced than the Public Prosecutor's charges. "My client denies the charges and claims that there was mutual touching. He has to fight against a system in which a reporter is almost always believed unconditionally", the lawyer said, according to the newspaper.