The Department of Defence has been forced to take down a report published on a Government website due to errors in redacted information relating to details of an alleged sexual assault at a military barracks.
The Mohan Report was published on Friday and was publicly accessible for a number of days before the issue was resolved.
The report was to examine allegations of a physical and sexual assault of two members of the Defence Forces as well as allegations of breaches of Covid-19 regulations at a lunch/BBQ held in McKee Barracks in 2020.
The published report contained “potential identifying markers” which the Department had intended to redact to ensure compliance with an order of a military judge
The order related to the need not to identify a convicted person or victims.
However, there was an error in the method used to obscure the information which also included details of a protected disclosure.
This meant the text was easily accessible and seen by PA Media.
Upon being notified of the redaction error, the Department deleted web pages containing links to the report on Sunday.
The report remained visible online through a direct link for a number of hours before it was replaced with a version with improved redaction.
The Department subsequently reinstated the web pages hosting a link to the updated report.
“This report was redacted using an Adobe application and was tested. The technical error you refer to has been rectified,” a spokeswoman said.
The Department did not respond to a request on how many people viewed or downloaded the report prior to the redactions being fixed.
Hugh Mohan SC was tasked with independently assessing the planning, organisation and holding of the McKee Barracks event.
On June 25th, 2020, an outdoor lunch/BBQ was held in the barracks by the staff of the Joint Task Force (JTF) which was specifically established to manage and direct the Defence Force’s contribution to the national response to Covid-19.
The BBQ began at around 2pm or 3pm and alcoholic drinks were available free of charge.
“A critical feature is that there was no direct supervision of the event or overview by a line of command,” the report said.
Some 37 initial attendees were identified through a group photograph.
Attendees told the investigator that people mingled in an “apparently social distant manner” and that more people arrived but most attendees left by 9.30pm.
It is then alleged that a man was drunk and disorderly and used inappropriate and offensive language with sexual undertones, as well as physical contact in an incident with a woman in the barracks.
A complaint was made about the alleged assault to the Officer Commanding of the barracks the following day.
Following the circulation of WhatsApp messages and screenshots, a report was made to the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Brigade.
There was concern that such an incident “might occur to other females in the future”.
The matter was then considered to be more serious than first outlined and was investigated by Military Police and a Court Martial which began in September 2022.
The man faced 18 separate charges.
He pleaded guilty to a number of charges accepting that he behaved in a disorderly manner due to being under the influence of alcohol, that he committed conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline and that he committed minor assaults.
The man was found guilty of a form of sexual assault.
Elsewhere, the Mohan Report found that there was an acceptance that alcohol was to be allowed at the function and the decision to allow alcohol was based on assurances that standard operating procedures in the barracks were complied with.
However, it appears that no request was made verbally or otherwise to GOC 2 Brigade for the approval of alcohol at the BBQ.
“It must be remembered that the consumption of alcohol during normal working hours, save in very defined circumstances, was in contravention of the Defence Forces alcohol policies,” Mr Mahon said.
He said the Joint Task Force was a specific military response to Covid-19 and therefore “must and should have been at all times conscious and aware of the serious pandemic that was affecting and impacting every facet of life in Ireland at that time.
“The very fact that alcohol was purchased and was being served, regardless of whether it was on sale or not, to a group of people in excess of 15 was in the circumstances against the very spirit of what was required of all citizens of the country let alone what would have been expected of a team that was part of the State’s critical response to the pandemic,” he added.
Mr Mahon said he believes the requirements under the Covid legislation at the time were not adhered to.
“In this context the very idea of having a lunch/BBQ, as all parties now agree, was a decision which lacked judgment and ought not to have happened particularly taking into account the role of the Joint Task Force and what was expected of them in light of their leadership/State role,” he said.
The Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Sean Clancy, also said the event should not have happened.
“The incident reflects a lack of judgment and supervision by the commander of the JFT and his leadership team,” he said.
Commenting on the report, Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Micheal Martin said: “There is zero tolerance to any type of assault whether verbal, physical or sexual.
“This has absolutely no place in the Defence Forces or any other workplace.
“Lessons have to be learned from this event.”
In relation to the broader event happening during Covid-19 restrictions, Mr Martin added: “Having read the report it is absolutely clear that this event should not have been organised, and it was wrong to do so during a time when many people were subject to emergency public health restrictions.
“The organisation of this event represented very poor judgment by all concerned.
“The Chief of Staff accepts this and has applied necessary military sanctions to those involved.
“I have now asked the Chief of Staff to review this matter further.”
