Ex-Royal Navy officer accused of sexually assaulting woman at summer ball

14 October 2023 , 15:55

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Jonathan Lovell quit the Royal Navy in August

A former Royal Navy senior officer will face a military court accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a summer ball.

Lieutenant Commander Jonathan ‘Scotty’ Lovell was allegedly drunk at the bash at his base. The dad of two, whose wife is also a Navy officer, was arrested after the party at HMS Sultan in July 2022 following a complaint.

He was charged with sexual assault and “misconduct through alcohol”, a military offence. Lovell, 42, carried on serving at the base as a senior engineer before quitting in August this year.

Because the alleged offence happened while he was serving he will be tried in a military court. His court martial is set to take place at Bulford military court, Salisbury, Wilts. If convicted and jailed he will serve his sentence in a civilian prison.

After announcing his resignation, he wrote on LinkedIn: “I am truly humbled by all the kind and supportive messages following my decision to leave the Royal Navy. A world-class navy filled by even better people. My apologies for not responding to you all ­individually. Thank you.”

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Lovell, who joined the Navy in 1999 and was commissioned in 2013, now lives in the North East and works at a marine engineering firm run by a former navalman. He served on warships, including destroyers, frigates and the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth. In 2022, he was posted to HMS Sultan, an engineering training base in Gosport, Hants.

A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “We do not comment on ongoing investigations.” Details emerged a week after developments in a separate case, as an Army report into the suicide of a soldier revealed she suffered relentless sexual harassment. Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, took her own life in December 2021 at Larkhill Camp, Wiltshire.

Sean Rayment