Chequers chef denies 'lesbian assault'

The head chef at Chequers is to be court martialled after she allegedly molested a Royal Navy Wren during a drunken staff party.

The chef, RAF Corporal Rose McLaughlin, was sacked after she allegedly put her hand up the skirt of the 25-year-old Wren waitress and attempted to pull down her knickers.

A member of staff at the Prime Minister's country retreat told The Sun: "There was a riotous party and a lot of drink was taken. Everyone started larking around and it is said Rose stuck her hand up the waitress's skirt and tried to pull her knickers down. Later the Wren made an official complaint."

The RAF's Special Investigations Branch has since charged Corporal McLaughlin, 30, with indecent assault. She is to appear before a court martial on 5 August and could lose a rank or be discharged from the service. She is said to have strongly protested her innocence.

A Defence Ministry spokesman confirmed there had been an incident and said the woman would appear before a district court martial at RAF Halton, the nearest air base to Chequers. "She is charged with indecently assaulting a female servicewoman who was working there at the time," he added. "The incident is alleged to have occurred last December." Neither woman is now working at Chequers.

Corporal McLaughlin, who is single, is expected to plead not guilty to the alleged lesbian grope and is understood to be gathering character references from senior officials at Chequers and the RAF. Her friends have even suggested that Cherie Blair may be preparing a reference to be read in court. Downing Street has declined to comment.

Corporal McLaughlin had been at Chequers for about three years. She was appointed on a salary of £30,000 a year. Under an arrangement dating back to the days of Winston Churchill, the RAF supplies the Buckinghamshire property with chefs and the Navy provides stewards as waitresses.

The Wren, who has the Royal Navy rank of rating, had been on a two-year posting when the alleged incident occurred and she filed a formal complaint. She has been removed from her post but is not facing any disciplinary action.