Written questions

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Commons · Question 89978 · Tabled 11 Nov 2025 · Ministry of Defence · Official record

Answered 18 Nov 2025

Question

Asked by Darren Paffey

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of measures to ensure that cases of (a) rape and (b) other serious offences committed in the UK by service personnel are tried in civilian courts.

Answer

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones, 18 Nov 2025

When deciding whether to prosecute, in the civilian Criminal Justice System or the Service Justice System, an offence committed in the UK by Service persons, prosecutors take into account the victim’s preference. These decisions are made by independent pr...