A female sergeant has been demoted for pulling down a colleague’s trousers and licking her forehead as “banter”, a court-martial heard. 

Staff Sergeant Kayleigh Preston allegedly pulled down the lower-ranked soldier’s trousers at work. She then grabbed Sergeant Louise St Louis’s underwear and pointed out it matched the colour of her trousers, the hearing was told. 

At another meeting SSgt Preston licked her junior colleague’s forehead, but claimed it was just “banter”. 

She was later disciplined and found guilty of ill-treatment of a subordinate which led to her being reduced in rank to sergeant and ordered to pay her victim £800. 

SSgt Preston is now appealing against the decision. 

The hearing at Bulford Military Court, Wilts, was told Sgt St Louis started working at the Army Welfare Service in Tidworth, Wilts, in November 2021. 

She told the court that in May or June 2022, SSgt Preston, who was her supervisor, approached her while she was on a Skype call. “[SSgt Preston] pulled my shirt from my trousers and lowered my trousers with her other hand,” she said. 

“At which point she grabbed my underwear, pulled it out and said ‘You are wearing blue underwear’.” 

Defending, Derek Johashen said SSgt Preston did lick Sgt St Louis but it was in fact during a hug. 

He said: “It was just more of the same banter that would go on in the office.” In response, Sgt St Louis said: “I don’t think that licking a forehead is banter.” 

The hearing continues.