Royal Navy Sailor 21 ‘raped’ a woman by locking her in her car, driving to Dartmoor without phone coverage, court martial hearings

  • Connor Anderson (21) ‘trapped’ his victim and then forced himself upon her.
  • The woman agreed to have a chat with him in the car. He was heard at Bulford Military Court.
  • She claimed that the sailor told her that he’d had just a couple of drinks in the pub before picking up her.
  • AB Anderson (of HMS Portland) denies two rape accusations and the trial goes on










One Royal Navy officer raped his victim after locking him in his car. He then drove to Dartmoor, where there was no telephone service.

Able Seaman Connor Anderson, 21,  ‘trapped’ his victim before forcing himself on her twice, heard Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire.

According to the woman, her soul escaped from her body during the alleged attack and she told her how scared she was of him being taken away because of his unknown capabilities.

AB Anderson of HMS Portland – a Type 23 frigate based out Plymouth – denies raping the woman. He claims that the sex was voluntary.

After the woman agreed to meet him in his car for a friendly conversation, he drove her around the Devon area in the wee hours of the morning.

Able seaman Connor Anderson, 21, 'trapped' his victim before forcing himself on her twice, heard Bulford Military Court (file photo above) in Wiltshire

Able seaman Connor Anderson (21), ‘trapped’ his victim, before forcibly forcibly on her twice.

AB Anderson shared a kiss with her while she was in the car. However, she said she wasn’t interested in sleeping with him. Graham Coombes, who was prosecuted, said that he then raped her.

After being asked to sit in the backseat, AB Anderson locked her car doors. She said she didn’t have any choice.

Video evidence was shown to court. She said that “I thought” I am stuck back there. He had locked my car door and I had the keys. So, I laid down. 

I said “no” to him when he was standing on top of my pants. [I thought]It is not something I can control. 

“There was no safe way for me to escape this car.

“There wasn’t a service available on my mobile phone, so there was no way to contact anyone.”

After allegedly raping her, the woman stated that AB Anderson wouldn’t take no for an reply.

She stated that he was just not going to take no for an answer, but was telling her “you’re boring” and “what’s wrong with you?”

The woman had agreed to meet him for a friendly chat in his car before he drove her to the remote area of Dartmoor (file photo above) in the early hours of the morning

He had offered to have a chat with the woman before driving her to Dartmoor in the wee hours of the morning (file photo below).

She said that she had ‘froze’ after listening to stories about women being raped, and then left for dead.

“I was sure I could push him away, but instead I froze. I didn’t know what I should do.” He was capable of so many things that I believed “I don’t actually know” — you have heard stories about female rapes and being left for dead.

“I thought that I could get out of this situation quicker if I followed the instructions and did what he said. It was like I was lying to myself thinking, “I cannot resist him.”

I just laid there, thinking about how long this is going to go on; what’s going to happen next; will he hurt me? He is going to try to strangle me if I attempt to stop him.

My soul seemed to have escaped my body. I felt my mind go to a new place. It was like my body was all that existed.

She continued, “I felt afraid and trapped.”

She said that the sailor mentioned to her that he’d had “few beers” at the pub, before picking her up from her car.

AB Anderson has denied two counts of rape, and his trial is continuing.

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