A feminine RAF police officer tried to “impress” her married lover by illicitly trying up the small print of a sexual assault investigation, a courtroom martial heard.
Cpl Rebecca Ashurst had an extramarital affair with Sean McCabe, a parachute teacher and former RAF Falcon Sergeant, a panel was instructed.
She allegedly used her laptop computer to entry case information he was all in favour of that exposed his buddy, an Air Pressure officer, was below investigation for 2 sexual assault offences.
However he felt “burdened” by this info and later instructed his Flight Sergeant what he had learnt, which led to Cpl Ashurst being investigated for breaking army guidelines.
Bulford Army Court docket, Wilts, heard in Might final yr that Sgt McCabe visited RAF Halton, Bucks, the place Cpl Ashurst is predicated, for an inter-service cricket event and paid a go to to her.
The listening to was instructed the pair first met in 2016, the identical yr Cpl Ashurst joined the RAF, and their affair started a couple of years later.
That they had “basic chit-chat” earlier than he requested Cpl Ashurst about his buddy and if he had dedicated a “horny offence”.
The prosecution alleges that Cpl Ashurst then obtained her laptop computer out and used the army police’s pc system to seek for particulars of the case – which she was not concerned in as an investigator.
She then allegedly instructed Sgt McCabe what she had discovered, confirming his buddy was below investigation for alleged intercourse offences.
Later that night, Cpl Ashurst despatched a selfie of herself in mattress to him, prompting him to answer “loads of room for me”.
In one other message, a couple of weeks later, Sgt McCabe mentioned he would “get bare and pleasure her”, the courtroom martial was instructed.
The pair stopped speaking not lengthy after the pc incident due to the investigation but additionally as a result of Cpl Ashurst “felt responsible” about their friendship as she was in a brand new relationship.
Cpl Ashurst, who beforehand did a tour of Cyprus and is a skilled sexual offences liaison officer, is charged with one rely of unauthorised entry to pc materials.
Sean McCabe, seen outdoors the courtroom, allegedly requested Cpl Ashurst if his buddy had dedicated a ‘horny offence’ – Andrew Croft/Solent Information
Opening the case, Maj Jon Harris instructed how Cpl Ashurst was a service police junior non-commissioned officer working for the Defence Critical Crime Unit.
“On the night time of the Might 8, Sean McCabe visited Cpl Ashurst at her house, they have been associates and had recognized one another for some years.
“They sat and chatted, Sgt McCabe requested if she was investigating a buddy of his.
“Cpl Ashurst obtained out her work laptop computer, logged into the system and looked for him, she instructed Sgt McCabe his buddy had been investigated for sexual assault.
“Sgt McCabe requested a few second man. Shortly after, Sgt McCabe left.
“This data turned a burden to Sgt McCabe, who instructed his Flight Sergeant what he had learnt about their boss.”
An audit of Cpl Ashurst’s login data confirmed she used the system for round 10 minutes and appeared up three names. The ultimate two searches returned no outcomes.
Extramarital affair
Giving proof, Cpl Ashurst mentioned she would describe her relationship with the RAF Falcons parachute jumper as an “extramarital affair”.
She mentioned: “I knew Sgt McCabe firstly as a buddy however then it turned extra a couple of years in the past.
“I might say that me and Sgt McCabe did have an extramarital affair, we’ve slept with one another however we’re additionally associates.”
Turning to the occasions of that night time, Cpl Ashurst claimed she had instructed Sgt McCabe she didn’t know something in regards to the case and so they “moved again” to different matters.
“We had only a basic chit-chat, Sgt McCabe then requested me, on the subject of an investigation, he requested me did I do know something about [his friend],” Cpl Ashurst continued.
“I mentioned it wasn’t held by our workplace, it was like I hadn’t given him sufficient info, he then requested me if it was a ‘horny offence’.
“A ‘horny offence’ would have meant a sexual offence, I mentioned I couldn’t inform him. We then moved again to speaking about different issues.”
She alleged that she solely appeared up the case after he left as a result of the “curiosity obtained her mind working” and he or she needed to know why he had requested in regards to the case.
Maj Harris recommended that Cpl Ashurst had looked for the information whereas Sgt McCabe was there and instructed him in regards to the offences to “impress” him together with her policing information.
He requested: “Have been you making an attempt to impress him together with your information as a police officer?” She replied: “No.”
The listening to continues.
