Australian Defence Force soldier Captain Dowsett demoted after using fuel card 12 times for Prado

A soldier who stole an Australian Defence Force fuel card and racked up more than $1500 in diesel has been demoted after being caught out.

The officer used the fuel card a dozen times. (File picture)

A soldier who stole an Australian Defence Force fuel card and racked up more than $1500 in diesel charges has been demoted.

Then captain Dowsett – now lieutenant – pleaded guilty to stealing a fuel card and using it a dozen times to fuel up his Prado on an interstate trip from Brisbane.

The case, heard before a defence force magistrate in December, heard Lt Dowsett used the fuel card four times on a trip from Queensland to Adelaide in 2021.

Lt Dowsett then went on personal leave between December 2021 and May 2022 and used the same fuel card to purchase diesel for his car nine more times.

He racked up $1541.47 worth of diesel charges over five months.

On November 3, 2022, investigators searched Lt Dowsett’s car and workplace, and a number of receipts for fuel were found inside

He then gave up three mobile phones and passwords to the investigators and made admissions to what he did in a recorded interview.

Service police gave the evidence against Lt Dowsett to the Director of Military Prosecutions in July last year and he was officially charged with one count of theft and one count of unauthorised use of commonwealth credit card.

Lt Dowsett has been in the Australian Defence Force for more than 25 years.

During his hearing, defence magistrate Group Captain Scott Geeves took into consideration Lt Dowsett’s early guilty pleas, outstanding work performance, lack of any previous convictions, and otherwise good character which was supported by a number of references.

Group Captain Geeves ordered Lt Dowsett be sentenced to multiple punishments.

“In all of the circumstances, the DFM (defence force magistrate) held that the minimum penalties required to satisfy the principles of general deterrence and maintenance of good order and discipline in the defence force were a reduction in rank by one rank, a new seniority date commensurate with the date of sentence and a reparation order covering the total value of the diesel appropriated,” the report said.

Lt Dowsett was demoted from captain to lieutenant and ordered to pay back $1541.57 he spent on fuel.

Captains are usually second-in-charge of a sub-unit who oversee up to 120 soldiers and are key leaders in planning within tactical units.

An automatic review of Lt Dowsett’s case upheld all charges and punishments.

Originally published as Australian Defence Force soldier Captain Dowsett demoted after using fuel card 12 times for Prado