A Royal Navy sailor has been sentenced to 18 months in a service detention centre after being convicted of multiple sexual assaults against shipmates aboard HMS Dauntless. Able Seaman Sian Dowsett, 25, was found guilty of six counts of sexual assault during a court martial held in March at Bulford Military Court.

The court heard that Dowsett, who served as a chef on the ship, targeted both male and female colleagues, focusing primarily on newer members of the crew. Her actions included groping four fellow sailors—two men and two women—in a series of incidents described by the presiding judge as deliberate attempts to dominate and embarrass her victims.

Judge Advocate Assistant John Atwill characterized Dowsett’s behavior as “extremely intimidating,” stating that it caused distress and fear among those affected. The judge noted that she had no regard for the impact of her conduct, describing her as a predator who repeatedly denied the allegations and accused complainants of lying.

Specifically, the charges included incidents where Dowsett grabbed male sailors by their crotches and stroked their arms while making suggestive remarks, including one in which she commented, “I like my coffee how I like my men, big and strong.” In relation to female colleagues, she was found to have smacked one sailor’s buttocks and groped and squeezed the breasts of another, even pushing and gripping a topless colleague’s nipples.

At the sentencing hearing, Dowsett appeared holding a plush Lilo and Stitch toy. The court concluded that her conduct had caused significant upset and embarrassment among shipmates, undermining the cohesion and morale within the crew.

The sentence reflects the military justice system’s intolerance of sexual misconduct while serving, underscoring the expectation that all personnel must maintain professional behavior and respect aboard naval vessels.