An army cadet instructor faces charges of sexually assaulting and sexually exploiting two teen cadets in Saanich and Vernon.
Capt. Daniel Moriarity is accused of sexually assaulting a male cadet and having an “inappropriate relationship” with a female cadet, both of whom are teenagers, said Capt. Karina Holder, Ottawa-based spokesperson for the Canadian Forces Military Police Group.
The incidents are alleged to have occurred between 2008 and 2011 at the Lt.-Gen. E.C. Ashton Armoury in Saanich and the Vernon Army Cadet Summer Training Centre. When the accusations were made, Moriarity was deputy commanding officer of 3005 Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps, which is based at the armoury.
The allegations were reported to military police in Esquimalt last summer by the cadets’ superior officers, Holder said.
Military police from the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service then took over the case. The service investigates serious and sensitive matters involving National Defence and Canadian Forces personnel and property.
“The minute these allegations did come to light, he had no more contact with cadets,” said Holder.
Moriarity was arrested later that summer, released and ordered to abide by numerous conditions that prevent him from having any contact with cadets or attend any cadet functions.
He was formally charged last Thursday night with two counts of sexual exploitation and one count of sexual assault, both under the National Defence Act and the Criminal Code of Canada, as well as one count of behaving in a disgraceful manner under the National Defence Act.
Military police do not anticipate there are other victims, Holder said.
Moriarity, described by military police as “a younger officer,” became a cadet instructor in 2006. His current location is not being disclosed.
He will face a military court martial trial, which has not yet been scheduled.
Holder said she does not know if Moriarity worked in a cadet leadership position at another cadet cadre prior to his working at the Saanich armoury and the Vernon summer camp.
The army, navy and air force cadet corps programs are free for males and females, age 12 to 18.
Instructors are considered military reservists, are required to be more than 18 years old and must be screened before they are hired and allowed to work with minors.
“There’s stringent checks, there’s police record checks, vulnerable-sector screening checks that they go through,” Holder said, adding that cadets receive harassment and abuse training from a peer or adult instructor, and are informed on what to do and how to report incidents.
“Charges like this are exceedingly rare,” said Holder. “Absolutely no one likes to think that such incidents could occur.
“However, at least if they did occur, the cadet organization and the military police dealt with (the incidents) swiftly and appropriately. That’s comforting.”
