Captain William Howieson tells court martial he isn’t ‘making up’ his denial of alleged indecency
An army officer accused of trying to trick a nurse into masturbating him says he isn’t “making up” his denial of the “awful” allegations.
Canberra Star
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An Australian army officer facing a court martial over claims he exposed himself to a nurse and tried to trick her into “assisting” him give bogus sperm samples says he is not “making up” his denials of the “awful” allegations.
Captain William Howieson, 29, took the stand in his own defence at an Australian Defence Force court martial on Thursday, where he repeatedly denied a series of allegations that he indecently exposed his erection to a nurse while on an foreign affairs posting in Papua New Guinea in 2018.
Captain Howieson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of committing an act of indecency without consent and one count of conduct likely to discredit the defence force.
On Thursday, Defence Force Magistrate Brigadier Michael Cowen QC directed the panel of officers deciding the case to find Captain Howieson not guilty of the one count of indecency that related to a second woman.
Giving evidence, Captain Howieson said he was trusted while in Papua New Guinea to look after the children of two diplomat friends, Andrew and Catherine Berriman.
He said he was happily married and had spent time alone with other women in the army, including camping out, without any allegations of wrongdoing.
Under cross examination from the director of military prosecutions, Brigadier Jennifer Woodward, Captain Howieson denied going to a medical clinic and reporting a lump on his penis as “a pretext for a medical examination”.
He said it was important that he maintained high standards while posted to his “important role” as a liaison officer in Papua New Guinea.
He denied exposing his penis and saying “have a feel”.
He also denied exposing his penis a second time and saying “I do have a lump”.
Brigadier asked whether Captain Howieson was “so excited by your experience ... that you returned that afternoon wanting her to assist masturbating you into a specimen jar”.
Captain Howieson said: “That is incorrect”.
Captain Howieson agreed the allegations against him were “very serious”.
Captain Howieson said the woman was “flustered” and concerned that he hadn’t been able to provide some of the medical supplies she had requested from the Australian Army.
Brigadier Woodward said: “You have made up that story because it’s just too awful for you to face the truth about what happened.”
Captain Howieson replied: “No, ma’am”.
The court martial continues.