Sarah Steele, a British woman, was assaulted by US airman Jacob Wulfson in an English city in late 2023.
Despite the crime occurring off-duty and off-base, US military police took over the investigation, and Wulfson was prosecuted in a US court martial.
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Case raises questions about jurisdiction
Dr Steele waived her anonymity to speak about her experience, which she described as distressing and degrading.
Wulfson was convicted of strangling an intimate partner but acquitted of sexual assault and aggravated sexual contact by an all-male panel of air force officers from the same base, RAF Lakenheath.
Legal experts say the latter charges would likely have been categorized as rape in a British court.
Dr Steele faced invasive questioning, while her attacker chose not to testify.
More than 12,000 US personnel are stationed across 15 bases in Britain.
Under a 1951 agreement, the US prosecutes them for offenses committed while on duty, against other US personnel, US property, or dependents.
However, the scope extends to off-duty incidents involving British citizens, such as a fatal collision if the driver was on duty.
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British authorities have the first option to investigate and charge US personnel, but in practice, US authorities often claim wider jurisdiction.
The Guardian identified numerous courts martial in the UK over the past decade, including for child sexual abuse, violent attacks, and drink-driving, many involving British victims off-base.
Critics argue that British authorities should be more cautious about handing over cases to the US military.
Dr Steele urges police to seek victims' views before relinquishing cases and to formally record their decisions.
A central record of such cases and their outcomes is also needed.
The US military publishes a docket of forthcoming courts martial but offers little detail. The current US administration is resistant to transparency, yet overseas bases face increasing scrutiny.
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Without greater accountability, maintaining public acceptance of these facilities may become difficult.
