'Groping Major' guilty of carrying out brazen sexual assault on dance floor at military party
The career of an Army major honoured for playing a key role during the pandemic could be over after he was convicted of sexually assaulting a junior officer at a drunken military dinner.
Major Robin Dews, 48, danced up to the victim with his arms in the air at an apres ski-themed event last December, assaulted her by touching her intimately, and then walked away, a court martial heard.
The complainant, a married mother, told the hearing: “He seemed drunk. He was all over the place in the mess, physically.
“He was dancing all over the place, drunk, for about 10 to 15 minutes before he approached me.
“He sort of danced over towards me to come and dance with me. He had a drink in his hand and he walked over to me still dancing.
“He got close to me, into my personal space. That is when he put his hands in between my legs.”
Major Dews was found guilty of sexual assault but was cleared of a second charge of groping the female officer’s bottom.
The court heard the officers were dancing on the tables and alcohol was flowing from a free bar as a snow cannon blasted fake snow into the air at the event at a barracks in the north of England.
Some guests wore snow suits and ski goggles while Major Dews wore a sweatshirt bearing the words “Ho Ho Ho, now I have a machine gun”, a reference from the 1988 Bruce Willis movie Die Hard.
Major Dews, who has completed tours of Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq had previously enjoyed an exemplary 24-year military career.
During the pandemic he was awarded a three star commendation from the director general of the Defence Medical Services for acting at chief executive level to liaise between the Armed Forces and the NHS.
The case was adjourned for sentencing to a date to be fixed to allow for a probation report to be prepared.
Assistant Judge Advocate General Edward Legard told Major Dews his military career was likely to be over and that prison was an option.
