Soldier guilty of toilet assault

Tavai's victim had been drinking heavily before the attack

A soldier faces jail and dismissal from the Army after being convicted of a barrack room sex attack on a colleague.

Josefata Tavai pulled another soldier's trousers down during the assault in a toilet at the Redford Barracks in Edinburgh.

His victim told the High Court in Edinburgh he had been drinking and was too drunk to defend himself.

Tavai, of 9 Regiment Army Air Corps, denied the attack in June 2006, but was found guilty by a majority of the jury.

Previous charges

After the verdict it was revealed the 30-year-old soldier had previously faced trial on sexual assault charges against three men in the military in England, but was acquitted.

The court heard the victim was a member of an Army display team which had been based temporarily at the barracks during a recruitment drive.

I was shocked, emotional and angry. I kept on saying 'I'll kill him. I have just been raped.' I was in agony. I was crying. Tavai's victim

After a final display, he went with colleagues to a pub in Edinburgh, and continued drinking after their return to the barracks.

He told the court: "I got talking to a Fijian lad. He had a bottle of white rum and we shared some of that.

"He started coming onto me, being a bit touchy-feely, hinting towards things of a sexual nature."

The 24-year-old former soldier said he was "straight" and felt uncomfortable. He later left the party to smoke a cigarette.

"My next memory is being in the toilet. I remember being restrained and pushed against a sink," he said.

"My T-shirt was pulled over my head. I thought I was going to get beat up."

DNA tests

The victim said he was fondled and sexually assaulted and passed out. His next memory was of being supported as he was helped to the guard room.

He told the court: "I was shocked, emotional and angry. I kept on saying 'I'll kill him. I have just been raped.' I was in agony. I was crying."

He said he understood his attacker was traced through "a DNA hit".

The victim, who has since left the armed forces, was critical of the way the Army dealt with the incident.

He said: "I was given one week's leave - one week to get over it and get back to work."

Sentence was deferred on Tavai for the preparation of a background report but temporary judge Roger Craik QC warned him he faced a prison term.

Tavai was remanded in custody and was placed on the sex offenders' register.