A judge has ruled that Corporal Reid Gobin is guilty of assault after an incident at CFB Wainwright in December 2014.
The Canadian Press reports that Gobin was originally charged with sexual assault against another solider while training at the base. While the military court judge said that the solider did experience an unwanted physical attack, she did not believe it was sexual in nature.
The complainant said that he was sexually assaulted while clothed on the last night of a 3 and a half month exercise with the soldiers from Manitoba. Gobin testified he did spank the solider numerous times, but that it was meant as a harmless gesture. The defense further argued that the compliant was made up to get back at Gobin for difficulties he made for the other solider during training.
During this trial, the court also heard that soldiers from a Manitoba base regularly performed “tickle parties,” where an unsuspecting member was held on the ground, tickled and slapped.
Though the “tickle party” horseplay was condemned by the military judge, it was determined that it was not directly related to the complaint.