Ex-Army major general gets six months suspended for touching and kissing woman

A former Army major general has been sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, for inappropriately touching and kissing a woman.

James Roddis was part of an overseas delegation and had been drinking for several hours when he started touching the hair of the woman before kissing her on the lips.

A court martial at Bulford Military Court Centre in Wiltshire heard Roddis, 53, had been required to resign from the Army following the subsequent misconduct investigation.

The board, which consisted of an air marshal, a major general and a commodore, also ordered Roddis to complete 30 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid work and pay his victim £2,500 compensation.

Roddis had pleaded guilty to disgraceful conduct of an indecent kind at a hearing in July.

Sentencing

Imposing the sentence, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: "We have listened carefully to the submission that you may have thought, under the influence of alcohol as you were, that the victim was consenting to what you were doing to her hair and that you only realised you had overstepped the mark when she did not respond to the kiss.

"That does not seem to us to provide much assistance to you – your duty was to remain in control of your actions, taking account of the needs and views of those around you, not getting so drunk that you could not read obvious signs."

The judge added: "Your military career has been impressive and exemplary, as is reflected in the references we have read and the decorations you have received.

"In contrast with those positive features, you were previously given an administrative sanction and forfeited your seniority as a major general for inappropriate conduct towards two female civil servants.

"You have a poor service record in relation to the previous incident.

"The similarity with the nature of the incident we are dealing with and its proximity in time significantly increase the seriousness of your offending."

The incident

The married father-of-three had been part of a group that had been drinking for several hours before going to a karaoke bar where they downed glasses of Champagne.

Part of the incident was caught on a mobile phone as another officer was filmed telling a story with "racist and homophobic overtones" as he poured a Champagne fountain.

In the background of the clip Roddis can be seen touching the complainant's hair and she indicates with her finger for him to stop.

The court heard the kiss was not captured on film, but the lead-up to it was.

Graham Coombes, prosecuting, said Roddis began to play with the woman's hair and pulled away her hair bobble, telling her "her hair looks better down".

"You can see her raise her eyes and indicate her displeasure," Mr Coombes said.

A few minutes later, Roddis puts his hands on her chin and kisses her on the lips for about two seconds.

The woman later messaged her husband, telling him: "Just because you are a two-star general you don't get to touch me."

The following day, the woman asked to speak to Roddis in private on the flight home and told him his behaviour the previous evening was unacceptable.

"The accused apologised and replied 'I need to resign'," Mr Coombes said.

"The accused asked her if she intended to make a formal complaint and if she did to tell him because he would need to resign."

The court heard this was the second similar incident involving Roddis's conduct for which he received a punishment of loss of seniority.

Two female civil servants had lodged complaints about his conduct after an incident, again overseas, in 2023 when he had asked "questions of a sexual nature" and "touched one of the females that made her feel uncomfortable".

In a victim impact statement, the complainant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, said she "did the right thing" in reporting Roddis.

"My main concern is how powerless I was that night. It has left me feeling vulnerable," she added.

The court heard Roddis had a distinguished military career lasting 29 years and had been made an MBE and awarded several medals.

Until recently, he was director of strategy for Strategic Command, an organisation comprising special forces and intelligence units among other responsibilities.

The defence

Jane Bickerstaff KC, defending, said Roddis had recently been diagnosed with alcohol dependency, having turned to drinking as a "stress release" as he struggled to balance his career with difficulties in his family life.

"It was a stupid, reckless, momentary act in drink," she said. "This conduct taking place over a few minutes has resulted in the loss of a career that he spent 30 years building, a distinguished career in which he has received a number of citations.

"You will appreciate that he has lost not only his career, but the future potential prospects of that career.

"When one appreciates, as James Roddis does, that one only has one's self to blame, it is a bitter pill to swallow."

'Unacceptable behaviour'

An Army spokesman said afterwards: "This unacceptable behaviour by ex-maj gen Roddis fell well below the high standards expected of both our leaders and personnel and has no place in our Armed Forces.

"We're determined to stamp out unacceptable behaviour."