Soldier faces court martial for attacking senior colleague

Soldier says he made no physical contact with senior colleague and no threats to kill

He says he tried to calm situation during late-night chance encounter

Crown says he ambushed senior colleague over disputed kiss

Three out of six charges withdrawn.

A soldier facing court martial for headbutting and threatening to kill someone of senior rank denies there was any physical contact between the two.

He also says the pair ran into each other by chance and he never made any threats, other than telling people to get away from him, and that any pushing from him was in self-defence.

During this week's hearing at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North the Crown says the soldier ambushed a senior colleague after a cocktail function at Waiouru Military Camp on 6 December 2024.

The Crown said the soldier was angry the senior colleague had kissed the soldier's partner after a function earlier in the year and lashed out.

The soldier denies three charges of threatening to kill, using violence against a superior and using insulting language to a superior officer. Three charges, male assaults female, assault and using threatening language, were dropped after an application from defence lawyer Deborah Davies.

The soldier gave evidence in his defence on Wednesday afternoon.

'No headbutt, no threats' - soldier

The soldier said he ran into the senior colleague and the pair had words but were unable to have a conversation because the senior's partner, who was drunk, became loud and aggressive.

"I said, 'Hey, look, I'm not too happy that you kissed my partner'," the soldier said he told the senior.

"[The senior's partner] was on me quickly and aggressively, with a lot of anger and a very raised voice.

"She threw herself in front of me and with two hands started pushing me in the upper torso area, and was just screaming and yelling."

The soldier said the senior stood there, "silent, but smirking", and he pushed away the senior's partner.

Others, who arrived at the scene, also pushed the soldier and he shouted at them not to touch him.

The soldier is accused of calling the senior a bitch, but said he could have used this word in a general sense to describe the situation.

He said there was no physical contact between him and the senior, and any reference to killing might have been him saying someone would be killed if there was a fight.

The soldier said he left the area as soon as he could.

'Back in my day, I would have punched him in the head'

The soldier said he attended the cocktail party to support his partner, who was involved in the event, but did not drink much because he had to regularly check on his dog having puppies.

When giving evidence on Monday, the senior said it was the soldier's partner who initiated the kiss earlier in the year, and the soldier had messaged him about it shortly before the cocktail party, but the senior did not want to engage.

The soldier's partner contradicted this, telling the court on Wednesday the senior kissed her.

The soldier said after the incident he returned to the bar, where he spoke with a sympathetic senior officer about what happened.

"He said, 'I don't know how you did it. Back in my day I would have punched him in the head'," the soldier told military police in March 2025 about that conversation.

The soldier said before the argument he had seen the senior and the senior's partner in an office, looking as if they were quickly getting dressed.

"At this point in time was he wearing pants?" a military police officer asked the soldier about the senior.

He said he saw frantic dressing and tucking in of shirts, after he investigated why a light was unexpectedly on in an army building.

The soldier said he did not know the senior's rank, and everyone on the night was dressed in civilian clothes.

He maintained this even when questioned at length by the Crown. He also denied the Crown's suggestion he attended he cocktail party so he could watch his partner and the senior.

Interim suppression orders are in place for the soldier and witnesses.

Judge Gerard Winter and a panel of three military members are hearing the charges.

The Crown and defence are expected to present closing arguments on Thursday.