US Air Force Staff Sgt Hannes Marschalek, 37, who allegedly exposed himself to a 16-year-old girl and four young women in Cambridgeshire, avoided British prosecution after the US military took over the case, the Guardian has revealed.
Allegations and Arrest
Cambridgeshire police received complaints in 2022 that Marschalek had indecently exposed himself to women walking past his home in Littleport. One alleged victim said he stood at the door exposing his penis while holding a mobile phone; another said he posed naked with his hand on the door frame. Marschalek was arrested on 9 October 2022 and questioned, but three weeks later, police agreed to hand the investigation to the US military after an official request.
Court Martial and Plea Bargain
In 2023, Marschalek faced a US court martial at RAF Lakenheath on two charges of indecent conduct. He negotiated a plea bargain, admitting he stood naked at his door on two occasions between August and October 2022. A charge involving masturbation was dropped. He was sentenced to two months in a correctional facility and dismissed from the air force. Under UK law, he could have faced up to two years in jail.
Appeal and Quashed Conviction
In April 2024, a US military appeal court quashed the conviction, ruling prosecutors used the wrong offence. Prosecutors are challenging the ruling. Marschalek returned to the US and remains on the sex offender registry for his UK conduct.
Text Messages and Evidence
Court martial papers show Marschalek texted friends in July 2022: “I definitely just flashed a couple ladies walking from the train. LOL.” He added: “I took all my clothes off … I went to go open a window and I was standing right in front of it when they walked by.” Military prosecutors said these texts demonstrated repeated exposure and bragging.
Jurisdiction Concerns
The case echoes that of Capt Jacob Wulfson, who strangled a British woman in Cambridge and was tried by US court martial. Both cases raise questions about an agreement requiring UK police to give “sympathetic” consideration to US requests to take over off-base crimes. A Cambridgeshire police spokesperson said the decision was carefully considered and victims were consulted. The US Air Force said it negotiated jurisdiction using all available facts.
Impact on Victims
One woman said she no longer felt safe in her hometown. The Guardian’s Base Justice series highlights how UK police sometimes cede control in sexual crime cases, prompting concern from the UK government. A spokesperson for the prime minister called the Wulfson case “deeply distressing,” and Deputy PM David Lammy demanded a full account from the US government.
