An army officer accused of discrediting the Australian military by asking a female medic to help him collect semen has been demoted and reprimanded at a court martial in Canberra.
Former captain William Howieson, 29, was cleared of two indecency charges against the same woman.
He had been the Australian liaison officer working with the Papua New Guinea defence force at the time of the APEC meeting in Port Moresby in 2018, when the incident happened.
The five-member court martial panel returned their verdict yesterday and announced the penalty today, saying his actions were a premeditated breach of trust — especially as he was representing Australia with a regional neighbour — and clearly violated army values.
The panel members said they took into account his references and said the sentence offered an opportunity for rehabilitation.
They demoted the captain to the rank of lieutenant.
The incident that sparked the complaint occurred at a first-aid clinic and involved a PNG army medic.
She said Lieutenant Howieson had presented her with an unsigned doctor's note asking that she help him collect sperm in a bottle. She refused.
During the hearing, the military judge, Chief Judge Advocate Brigadier Michael Cowan, outlined the need for deterrence.
"There has been breach of trust in this case," he told the panel.
"It's for you to decide the quality of breach of trust."
Lieutenant Howieson, who was found guilty of prejudicial conduct, had faced the possibility of serving up to three months in jail.
Soldiers and officers 'must uphold values', army says
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) acknowledged Lieutenant Howieson's sentence in a statement, saying it "does not tolerate unacceptable behaviour and takes all allegations very seriously".
"Army expects all soldiers and officers to act appropriately, safely and lawfully, and to display army's values and live up to their contract with Australia," the statement said.
"Individuals who fail to adhere to our expectations will be held accountable.
"The army respects and values its relationships with our regional partners and has enduring defence cooperation programs with many countries, which enhance interoperability and regional security."
During the court martial, many of the witnesses gave evidence by video link from Papua New Guinea.
Patchy communications meant there were many disruptions, with most of the connections established through a hot spot on an ADF member's phone.
A military panel will now review the sentence.
It is unknown whether Lieutenant Howieson will appeal.
