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Navy officer cleared of raping female submariner at Faslane

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HMS AUDACIOUS ARRIVES AT CLYDE HOME HMS Audacious, the fourth of the Royal Navy’s Astute-class submarines, has arrived at her new home at HM Naval Base Clyde. The new submarine and her 98-strong crew arrived at the Naval Base in Argyll and Bute today (April 7), flying the White Ensign after sailing from BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness. Welcoming the vessel to her new home were members of the Submarine Flotilla – SUBFLOT – based at Clyde. “It is with great excitement that we welcome HMS Audacious to the Clyde, joining her three sister submarines,” said Commodore Jim Perks OBE, Head of the Submarine Service. “HMS Audacious represents an ever improving example of the world-leading Astute class submarine. She is right at the cutting-edge of technology, built here in the UK by our own people. She will provide the country with remarkable security at sea to protect our nation’s interests.” HMS Audacious will join sister-submarines HMS Astute, HMS Ambush and HMS Artful which are already in-service and operating from Faslane. A further three boats – named Anson, Agamemnon and Agincourt - are currently under construction at BAE in Barrow. The Astute-class vessels are among the most sophisticated submarines ever constructed for the RoyalNavy.

The woman was serving alongside her colleague at the Faslane base.

by Democrat reporter

A Royal Navy officer who served on board a nuclear submarine wept in the dock as he was cleared of raping a colleague at the Faslane Naval Base near Helensburgh.

Jake Wilson, 38, from Gosport in Hampshire, was accused of carrying out the sex attack in an accommodation block in May 2023.

Prosecutors also alleged he repeatedly sexually assaulted another female submariner, including an incident where it was claimed he slapped her bottom in the submarine control room.

But, following a four-day trial, jurors at the High Court found him not guilty of both charges by a majority verdict.

A female submariner had previously told the court she had been celebrating a colleague’s qualification on board the submarine and back at the mess base bar.

She said the sexual assault happened in her cabin in an accommodation block on the base at Faslane Loch.

Wilson, who pleaded not guilty to both charges, lodged a special defence to the rape charge that the complainer consented to sexual activity.

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