Key facts
- US airman Hannes Marschalek was accused of indecently exposing himself to multiple women, including a 16-year-old, in England in 2022.
- Cambridgeshire police ceded jurisdiction of the case to the US military.
- Marschalek was court-martialed by the US military in 2023.
- His conviction was later overturned on technical grounds by a US military appeal court.
- The case highlights concerns about US military personnel committing crimes on UK soil and avoiding British justice.
A US airman, Hannes Marschalek, accused of indecently exposing himself to multiple women, including a 16-year-old, in England in 2022, was able to avoid the British justice system. Cambridgeshire police initially investigated the complaints but agreed to hand over the case to the US military after a request from American authorities.
Marschalek, who was stationed at RAF Lakenheath, allegedly exposed himself to women as they walked past his home in Littleport. One victim reported he stood at his door exposing his penis while holding a mobile phone, while another stated he posed naked at the door with his hand on the door frame. Texts from Marschalek to friends indicated he had "definitely" flashed women from his home.
Following his arrest, Cambridgeshire police consulted with the victims before transferring the investigation to the US military. Marschalek was subsequently court-martialed at his airbase in 2023, where he pleaded guilty to indecent conduct on two occasions as part of a plea bargain. The original charge of masturbation was removed.
In his defence, Marschalek claimed he had opened his doors for ventilation after exercising and was naked for about 20 seconds. The military judge sentenced him to two months in a correctional facility and dismissal from the air force. However, in April 2024, a US military appeal court overturned his conviction on technical grounds, citing an error in charging him under the wrong offense. Prosecutors are seeking to challenge this ruling.
Marschalek has since returned to the US and remains on the sex offender registry. The case, similar to that of Capt Jacob Wulfson who was tried in a US military tribunal for murder, raises questions about the prosecution of US military personnel for crimes committed on UK soil and the agreement that allows the US military to take jurisdiction over off-duty personnel.