Former Major General James Roddis, a senior Army officer, will appear before a military court later this month charged with sexual assault under Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The court appearance will be held at the Bulford Military Court Centre in Wiltshire on July 17. Roddis was previously a commanding officer of The Highlanders, 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland, and later played a vital role in overseeing special forces. An Army spokesperson mentioned that they expect high standards of conduct from all their personnel and take any allegations of misconduct seriously.
Before his court appearance, Roddis held the position of director of strategy for Strategic Command, responsible for overseeing SAS missions and offensive cyber warfare. During his military career, Roddis received many accolades, including a Distinguished Service Order for highly successful leadership in active operations, two Queen’s Commendations for Valuable Service in 2008 and 2017, and an MBE.
In 2021, former Major General Nick Welch faced a four-week trial at the same venue, becoming the highest-ranking officer in the military to face a court martial since 1815. Welch was convicted of a single charge of fraud in March 2021 and was later sentenced to 21 months in jail for falsely claiming over £48,000 in allowances to pay for his children’s boarding school fees.
The Army holds itself to high standards of conduct, and any allegations of misconduct are treated seriously, no matter the rank or position held. The investigation and court proceedings concerning Roddis’ case will continue to ensure justice is served
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
