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Jones will serve at least 12 months behind bars. (AAP: Alan Porritt)
A Navy officer found guilty of spanking a young female sailor has been sentenced to 18 months’ jail by a military court martial in Canberra.
Lieutenant Commander John Alan Jones was convicted for sexually abusing a young woman on seven occasions, including four incidents of spanking the young sailor on the buttocks.
The abuse occurred throughout the past year.
Many of the incidents involved Jones spanking the young woman in his cabin on a Navy ship and at the victim’s home in Western Australia.
At the end of 2010 the female sailor secretly recorded a conversation with Jones about the spankings.
In the tape Jones told the sailor the spankings were for her own benefit and to see how obedient she was.
Last week the sailor told the court martial she had been scared of Jones.
She defended her account of the alleged incidents under cross-examination and said she still had nightmares.
“These things pounce up in my head… it’s like a picture in my head,” she said.
“I nearly took my life because of these things.”
In closing arguments the defence had said Jones admitted to three of the incidents but they were between two adults who were willing to enter into a close and personal relationship.
But the prosecution argued Jones had been undone by the strong women in the Navy who were prepared to bring the allegations to light.
Jones will serve a minimum term of 12 months before undertaking a good behaviour order.
Topics:
navy,
defence-forces,
crime,
canberra-2600,
act
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