Warrant Officer Ian Duncan Harrison faces 11 charges and four alternative charges, relating to alleged acts of indecency without consent, using insulting and provocative words and prejudicial conduct (an act likely to bring discredit upon the Royal Australian Navy).

He faces eight charges of acts of indecency without consent, including two alternative charges of prejudicial conduct; two charges of using insulting and provocative words which also have alternative charges of prejudicial conduct; and one charge of prejudicial conduct.

He has pleaded not guilty to the 11 charges and three of the four alternative charges.

He did plead guilty to the prejudicial conduct charge about pinching a woman on the buttock.

The charges stem from alleged incidents against five women at HMAS Creswell at Jervis Bay, the home of the RAN’s Naval College, which has been training officers since 1913.

At the time WO Harrison was the Ship’s Warrant Officer at the base.

The hearing has heard the alleged victims were not students at the college.

The allegations range from touching a woman’s breasts, pinching another on the bottom as well as exposing his penis to a woman and showing pictures of a penis to a woman. On another occasion it is alleged he showed a woman a video of him having sex with another unknown woman.

Court papers show the charges stem from a period from September 2014 through to June 2017.

The hearing is overseen by Judge Advocate Brigadier Michael Cowen and a panel of three.

After hearing an abridged opening statement by the prosecution’s Squadron Leader Steven Whybrow, the hearing moved to HMAS Creswell to take an on-site inspection.

The hearing is expected to continue well into next week, with a number of witnesses, many of whom will give evidence via video link.