Female sailor aboard HMAS Success faces sex grope charge

Melbourne, April 30 (ANI): The HMAS Success has landed itself in yet another alcohol-fuelled sex scandal after a female sailor allegedly groped her male colleagues in public after she became drunk.

It is understood that the female sailor went ashore during a port visit in Singapore this month and that she went on a binge.

One of the men made an official complaint and the Australian Defence Force Investigation Service has launched an investigation.

Defence Force chief Angus Houston said on April 30 the ADF Investigative Service was looking into the incident.

"We take any instances of inappropriate behaviour seriously," News.com.au quoted him as saying in a statement.

The Success is already at the centre of a Commission of Inquiry by Roger Gyles, QC, over allegations of bullying, inappropriate relationships, public sex and drug abuse.

That inquiry has been delayed and Defence Chief Angus Houston has told a parliamentary committee that another 35 witnesses have been identified during hearings.

The inquiry is examining whether a culture of bullying existed in the ship's engineering department.

Evidence has been heard that some sailors were regularly drunk when the ship was in port and engaged in public sex acts. (ANI)