Monday, March 22, 2010
MEMBERS of the Defence Forces have been court- martialed for going absent without leave, assault and attempting to pervert the course of justice, according to new data.
Information provided to the Irish Examiner has revealed that since 2008 some members of the Defence Forces have been jailed for breaches of discipline at the Curragh Camp’s detention centre, with one private being sentenced to a total of 74 days detention and ultimately discharge from the Defence Forces after six instances of going absent without leave (AWOL).
That case was heard this year, as was another where a private was sentenced to two months imprisonment and also discharged after going AWOL four times. Another private was jailed for 20 days for going AWOL for 323 days.
A private guilty of assault was handed a 40-day detention period, suspended for a year, fined €500 and ordered to pay compensation of €1,500.
These cases were one of a number of summary courts- martial against up to 19 members of the Defence Forces since 2008, ranging in rank from private and second lieutenant to sergeant.
In one joint trial dating from last year a sergeant was found guilty of four charges and a private guilty of three charges, including unauthorised use of a service vehicle.
Other charges levelled against members of the Defence Forces include being under the influence of an intoxicant – but not drugs – using false documentation, and assault, although in many cases a not-guilty verdict was passed, or there was a nolle prosequi (the case was not prosecuted).
There were three individuals charged under the more serious limited courts-martial.
In one case a sergeant was fined €250 after being found guilty of entering women’s accommodation without authority. Two other charges against him ended with a nolle prosequi.
A corporal had to forfeit his rank for a year and was fined €500 on one charge of insubordination against a senior officer, and was fined another €500 for two other charges linked to indiscipline.
Ten army personnel have brought appeals. In four cases the determination and punishment handed down were quashed, including cases involving a private being drunk and corporals going AWOL.
In some other cases the punishments were downgraded.
The Defence Forces stressed that there has not been a spike in the number of Army personnel being disciplined, as courts-martial were not held from December 6, 2005 to September 9, 2008, due to legislation aimed at bringing courts- martial here into line with the European Convention on Human Rights.
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