By CHRIS BROOKE

Published: 20:29 GMT, 10 February 2025 | Updated: 20:30 GMT, 10 February 2025

A highly decorated military intelligence chief has been sacked in disgrace for a drunken sexual assault on a junior officer.

Lieutenant Colonel Benedict Stephens, 44, drunkenly groped the young woman while leaving a restaurant in Dubai and then asked her: ‘Are you intimidated by me?’

Stephens, who won the Queen’s Gallantry Medal in 2011 for heroism in Afghanistan, narrowly escaped jail.

However, his glittering career now lies in tatters after a military court at Catterick, North Yorkshire, found him guilty of the sex assault, fired him from the armed services and imposed a 20-week jail term suspended for two years.

The disgraced soldier must do 220 hours unpaid work, 26 rehabilitation days and suffer a big loss in his pension.

After being convicted last month he told more than 50 members of the In-Corps Golfing Group on WhatsApp that the victim’s account was ‘littered with exaggerations, misremembering and inaccuracies.’

His victim commented that this showed ‘he appears to have no remorse.’

During his trial Stephens, a divorcee, claimed he was so drunk he couldn’t remember the incident after downing around four pints, six cocktails and six shots during an evening in April last year at the Time Out food hall in Dubai, where he was based with British Defence Staff.

Lieutenant Colonel Benedict Stephens (pictured) has been sacked after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman

Stephens was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal in 2011 by Queen Elizabeth II for heroism in Afghanistan

Stephens was awarded the Queen’s Gallantry Medal in 2011 by Queen Elizabeth II for heroism in Afghanistan 

The victim told the court yesterday the incident had driven her to the brink of suicide.

She told him: ‘Not a day goes by where I do not think about how you sexually assaulted me and I hope you have some remorse for your actions.’

The non-commissioned officer continued: ‘In the months after the sexual assault I thought of ending my own life because I could not deal with the flashbacks and I did not want to be in a world where I could be sexually assaulted again.

‘The guilty verdict has given me some closure, but this incident has fundamentally changed who I am.’

The court martial heard Stephens had been annoying other customers by poking and prodding them.

As they were leaving and went down a flight of stairs Stephens sexually assaulted the young woman and flexed his biceps at her. He made intense eye contact and told her: ‘I want you.’

Judge Advocate Legard told Stephens, who was demoted to Major: ‘What you did that evening was unconscionable. You were a decorated senior officer taking opportunistic advantage of a young female many ranks your subordinate and one who had every right to feel safe and secure in a senior officer’s presence.

Stephens holding his medal. The former serviceman was told by a judge his actions were 'unconscionable'

Stephens holding his medal. The former serviceman was told by a judge his actions were ‘unconscionable’

‘The impact on her cannot be overstated. Such was the shock of what you did to her that she became hysterical and was hyperventilating.

‘Subsequent to this she has endured feelings of guilt and embarrassment, and she fears being painted as the villain as opposed to the victim.’

The military court heard Stephens had suffered from a drink problem over the years.

The decision brings to an end a glittering career. As well as the gallantry medal, he has been decorated by Denmark for bravery on a special forces operation and received medals for work in Somalia and with the US military.

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Disgraced military intelligence chief honoured by Queen Elizabeth avoids jail after groping female soldier during a booze-fuelled night out in Dubai

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