Senior British army officer accused of sexual assault in Canada
Davies commanded 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment during a challenging tour of Afghanistan
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Your support makes all the difference.UPDATE 1 October 2024: The charge against Lt Col Davies was dismissed and he was acquitted on February 8, 2018.
A senior British Army soldier has been accused of sexually assaulting a Canadian servicewoman after a forces event in Ontario.
Afghanistan veteran Lt Col Christopher Davies, 45, allegedly pounced on the 52-year-old Canadian military officer in the early hours of April 10 after following her from a bar to her hotel.
Davies, who commanded 3rd Battalion the Mercian Regiment during a challenging tour in 2014, had met the woman for the first time the evening before during commemorations for the Battle of Vimy Ridge at Fort Frontenac, Kingston, police said.
The alleged victim reported the assault to police and detectives launched a criminal investigation, combing the scene for evidence and interviewing witnesses.
Investigators said they had "reasonable grounds" to believe the alleged attack had taken place and Davies was arrested for one count of sexual assault on August 2 after attending Kingston Police headquarters.
The force said: "On April 9, 2016 a military function occurred at Fort Frontenac. During the early morning hours of April 10 the 52-year-old victim left the event and attended a downtown licensed establishment with other guests she had just met that evening, including the accused, 45-year-old Christopher Davies.
"The victim returned to her nearby hotel followed by the accused, where after a detailed investigation Kingston Police detectives have formed reasonable grounds to believe the woman was sexually assaulted by the British officer in her hotel room."
Davies was ordered to surrender his passport and remain in the province of Ontario while the case goes to court, with a hearing scheduled for September 15.
An Army spokeswoman said they would not comment on the case due to the continuing legal proceedings.
A spokeswoman said: "We are aware of an investigation being conducted by Kingston Police into an alleged incident that took place in April this year involving a serving British Army officer."