Army Engineer handed seven-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault

Craftsman Liam Ashworth has been sentenced to seven years in prison after he was convicted of raping and sexually assaulting another member of the Armed Forces in 2024.

CFN Ashworth, whose rank is equivalent to a Private in non-technical corps, committed the offence on 2 December two years ago while serving with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers at Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk.

He was found guilty of the crime on 16 March 2026. 

"This was an appalling crime, and the victim showed enormous courage in reporting it," the Service Prosecuting Authority's Commander Ed Hannah said. 

"Service Police Investigators from the Defence Serious Crime Command and the Prosecutors from the Service Prosecuting Authority are committed to ensuring that any sexual offending within the Armed Forces is rigorously investigated and robustly prosecuted. 

"This case highlighted the speed at which the Service Justice System can operate, progressing from first report to sentence within 17 months."