A Royal Navy A chef lured a sailor into the pantry of a warship before locking the door and sexually assaulting him, a court martial heard.
Capable sailor Liam Pritchard told his victim, who he had groped on another occasion, that he wanted to meet because he was suffering from “low mood”.
The sailor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, “reluctantly agreed” to meet the 23-year-old in the pantry of HMS Northumberland because he wanted to “help” him.
But when he got there, AB Pritchard locked the door and attacked him. Over a period of 45 minutes, the “persistent” Navy chief subjected his colleague to “prolonged detention”, asking him to kiss and hug him, as well as grabbing his tail.
AB Pritchard was convicted of the attack following a trial earlier this year and was described as “confused about his sexuality”.
Now he has been kicked out of the Navy, given a two-year suspended sentence and asked to pay £1,000 to his victim.
Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire heard that AB Pritchard – who joined the Navy in March 2022 – was working as a chef on the Type 23 frigate last year.
The vessel carries out a variety of maritime security operations, including anti-piracy, escort duties and boarding operations.
It was later heard that AB Pritchard met his victim, who also worked on the ship, and they began exchanging messages on Snapchat.
His colleague was said to be “open about his sexuality” and was under the impression the chef was straight, Assistant Judge Jane England said.
Last year the chef shared a “consensual” drunken kiss with the sailor while on board the ship, it has been heard.
The judge described an incident that occurred in the summer of last year.
AB Pritchard was sitting opposite the victim and began “touching her leg” with his, before moving closer and groping her groin 10 times.
The victim was “surprised” by what happened. “He sent you a message saying what you did was wrong,” the judge told AB Pritchard. “That should have been a warning to you.”
Later that month, AB Pritchard sent a message to his victim asking him to meet to discuss his mental health and “bad mood”.
His partner “reluctantly agreed” to meet him because he “wanted to help”, the judge said.
“Once in the pantry you locked the door and took out the key. That was his only means of escape,” she said.
The judge said the two were talking and AB Pritchard “kept asking” his colleague for another kiss, which he refused.
While locked in his room, the 23-year-old asked his colleague for a hug, to which he “eventually” agreed.
But the sailor “took advantage of this” and “tried to undress him”, it was heard.
He put his thumbs on his belt, felt around, and his bottom over his pants. “You were persistent and, in his opinion, quite aggressive,” the judge told AB Pritchard.
The chef finally let his victim go.
It was heard that AB Pritchard’s victim was left with depressive and suicidal thoughts following the assault in July last year.
He said the events had a “huge impact” on both his personal life and his career – and he still suffers “flashbacks” of what happened to this day.
Mitigating, Michael Green, said AB Pritchard “continues to deny these offences”. AB Pritchard pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault but was convicted at trial earlier this year.
Now the chef has been removed from the Royal Navy and sentenced to a six-year prison sentence, suspended for two years.
Judge England said to the chef, “You did [sexually assault him] on two separate occasions and it became clear that this was not what he wanted.”
She said “being a sailor is more than just being good at what you do,” including treating your colleagues “with respect.”
Speaking of the victim, she said: “I hope that, with help and time, he will realize that he is not to blame for these offenses and that he should not feel ashamed.”
AB Pritchard will pay £1,000 compensation to his victim, carry out 180 hours of unpaid work and undertake 30 days of rehabilitation activities.
