Army private fined 10 days’ pay for being AWOL for 509 days

An Irish Army soldier who went missing for almost a year and a half has been fined 10 weeks’ pay and issued a severe reprimand.

However, the private was not found guilty of desertion for being absent without leave for 509 days.

It was the first of six cases to be heard at the Military Justice Centre at McKee Barracks in Dublin in 2016.

The private was one of six members of the military who faced court martial proceedings. Other cases included charges such as being under the influence of an intoxicant, assault and behaving in an “insubordinate manner” towards a superior officer.

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The information about the courts martial was provided by the Defence Forces.

The summary of court martial trials for last year showed one lieutenant faced 12 charges. These included charges for being missing at four different times for a total of 274 days, committing conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline, and offences in relation to documents.

Three of the charges for being absent without leave for 231 days were dismissed.

However, the lieutenant was found guilty for being absent without leave for 43 days, fined €1,500 and issued a severe reprimand.

The lieutenant was also found guilty on five other charges relating to committing conduct to the prejudice of good order and discipline.

The penalties included a total of €7,600 in fines, further reprimands, an order to forfeit the seniority of the rank of lieutenant for one year and a pay reduction.

Insubordinate manner

In another case, a sergeant faced six charges including assault and bad behaviour. In October last year, the sergeant was found guilty of two charges relating of behaving in an insubordinate manner towards a superior officer and behaving this way due to being under the influence of an intoxicant.

The sergeant was fined a total of €630 and issued two severe reprimands.

A corporal faced five charges relating to disobedience to a superior officer, ill-discipline and being under the influence of an intoxicant.

The corporal was fined seven days’ pay and sentenced to a severe reprimand after being found guilty of one charge, which was conduct to prejudice of good order and discipline contrary to section 168 (1) of the Defence Act 1954.

Another corporal, who has faced five charges, was also found guilty of conduct to prejudice of good order and discipline charge and sentenced to a severe reprimand and a fine of €300.

In the final case, a sergeant faced three charges in relation to documents contrary to section 167 (a) of the Defence Act 1954,

The sergeant was found guilty of one charge, fined three days’ pay and issued with a severe reprimand.