Defence Forces places officer on leave after woman alleges he hit her with bottle 

The incident is understood to have happened ​at a party in the officer’s mess at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Dublin. Picture: Colin Keegan/ Collins 

A Defence Forces officer has been placed on leave after allegedly being involved in an incident in which a female air corps member was struck on the head with a bottle.

The three‑star private had been invited to attend a 'wings' ceremony — marking the completion of air corps training — at Casement Aerodrome in Baldonnel, Co Dublin, last Friday. 

The incident is understood to have happened ​at a party in the officer’s mess. 

The man involved in the incident is alleged to have hit her with a wine bottle and was going to hit her again when he was overpowered.

She was treated at the scene and did not require hospital admission.

The man is understood to have travelled from Cork to the air base, where the latest round of graduates were celebrating getting their wings.

A Defence Forces spokesperson said: “The individual has been placed on special leave, on a without-prejudice basis, pending the conclusion of an investigation.

“As this investigation is now ongoing, we will be providing no further comment.” ​

Special leave is usually paid and authorised leave granted to soldiers returning home from overseas, for those changing stations, and for those studying or sitting exams.

Wings graduation

As the 41st and 42nd wings course classes were awarded their military pilots’ wings, the ceremony marked the culmination of intensive training, including more than 800 hours of ground school, numerous examinations, and more than 1,300 flying hours.

This training included aerobatics and formation and night flying.

A number of students also completed elements of their training with CAE Dothan in Alabama, a flight‑training facility used by the US Air Force.

The awarding of wings signifies the students’ transition to operational military duties as pilots and the beginning of the next phase of their careers within the air corps.

Guests at the ceremony included Department of Defence secretary general Jacqui McCrum, Major General John Whittaker, and Brigadier General Rory O’Connor.