Steve Higham, captain of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, has been sacked after complaints of harassment against female seafarers he invited to his cabin to “mentor”. This has been reported Sun.
It was noted that Captain Higham was a military adviser to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and would later serve as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Navy. However, his promotion was put on hold pending the completion of the investigation.
A navy source said: “There is speculation that he invited several female sailors to his cabin alone, and it bothered them. He says the conversations are completely open, mentoring them and offering career advancement, but that raises concerns.”
The Royal Navy declined to comment on the situation, stating that “the investigation is ongoing and it would not be appropriate to comment further”.
Previously reportedA record number of underage girls studying at British army colleges reported sexual assault cases last year.
The number of reports of violence against minors has increased tenfold since 2015. According to 2022 data, the military police identified 47 young people under the age of 18, 37 girls and 10 boys, as victims of sexual assault and rape.
A spokesperson for the British Ministry of Defense said the ministry did not comment on “individual cases”.