49-Year-Old Royal Navy Captain Featured in BBC Documentary Denies Rape and Sexual Assault Allegations from Aircraft Carrier Command

A ROYAL Navy officer who appeared on a BBC documentary has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault.

Captain Chris Ansell, 49, was second in command of the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth when the alleged offences took place in Feb 2022.

Capt Ansell, who was serving on the ship when he appeared in the documentary, will be the most senior Navy officer to be tried for rape.

Capt Ansell appeared remotely at Bulford Military Court, , where he pleaded not guilty to rape, attempted sexual assault and two counts of sexual assault by penetration.

He appeared on a video link in his military uniform and spoke only to confirm his name and enter his not guilty pleas.

The charges relate to incidents that allegedly occurred between February 2 and 3, 2022.

His six-day trial will be held at Bulford Military Court in January 2027.
Today, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: “January is a date that is convenient to everyone.

“Although we will go over the six-month time limit that is being done to accommodate council.

“We know this is a relatively straight forward case in many ways but there is quite a lot of background.

“It is sensible to say it could go to six days as a precaution.”

Addressing Capt Ansell, Judge Large added: “If you don’t turn up to court without good reason you could be committing a separate offence.

“Do you understand that if you were to have pleaded guilty today you would have received credit for your guilty plea?”

The father-of-two joined the Navy in 1997 serving in the submarines before transferring to the service fleet.

He was deputy onboard the 65,000 tonne HMS Queen Elizabeth between November 2020 and February 2022 where he served in the South Sea.

Describing that role he said: “Officially, I’m responsible for the welfare, morale, training, effectiveness and delivery of the ship.

“In human terms, I have to be mum and dad, big brother, policeman, mentor, coach, disciplinarian, counsellor, chief of staff — all things to the 1,600 sailors, marines and aircrew.”

Launched in 2014, HMS Queen Elizabeth is the lead aircraft carrier in the fleet.

He was later promoted to Captain in Feb 2022 and transferred to the maritime headquarters in Northwood.

In an interview with the Radio Times, to promote the BBC show, he said: “I was naively hoping to be a shadowy figure, spoken about in hushed terms as the back of my head left the room.”

Last month Lt Cdr John Cursiter, the executive officer on a nuclear armed submarine, was convicted of sexual assault and false imprisonment during a drug fuelled attack on a junior sailor.

The last time a captain was charged with a “sex crime” was over 300 years ago when homosexuality was a crime.

Captain Edward Rigby was acquitted of sodomy at court martial but later convicted in a civilian court in 1698.

An MoD spokesperson said: “A member of the Royal Navy is facing charges of rape and sexual assault, following an investigation by Defence Serious Crime Command.

“It would be inappropriate to comment any further as legal proceedings are ongoing.”

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