A US fighter pilot who strangled a British academic in her apartment in Cambridge, England, was tried by a court martial at RAF Lakenheath under US military law, rather than in a British court, raising serious questions about jurisdiction and the treatment of victims.
Case Details
Sarah Steele, a British academic, woke up in a bathtub of cold water on 2 December 2023 after meeting Capt Jacob Wulfson for the first time. She was naked, confused, and in pain. Prosecutors alleged Wulfson drugged and strangled her, and penetrated her without consent. The offence would have been classified as rape in England and Wales, but was charged as sexual assault and aggravated sexual contact under US military law.
The court martial took place at RAF Lakenheath, the largest US airbase in Britain. The judge was an air force colonel, and the jury consisted of eight male air force officers, all stationed at the same base as Wulfson. The panel’s president was the chief of the squadron that maintains Wulfson’s jets, and one panel member had been acquitted of sexual offences at a previous court martial.
Proceedings and Testimony
Steele testified that Wulfson strangled her during the assault, causing her to lose consciousness. She said, “His hand was on my neck. I couldn’t speak.” The prosecution alleged that Wulfson administered the drug etizolam, but he was acquitted of that charge. Wulfson did not testify, exercising his right under the US Constitution. His defence lawyer, Tim Bilecki, attacked Steele’s credibility, suggesting she fabricated the allegations for financial gain and abused prescription drugs. Steele denied these claims.
Verdict and Sentence
The jury found Wulfson guilty of strangulation but not guilty of penetration without consent. He was also found guilty of disobeying a commander’s order not to contact Steele after the assault. Wulfson chose to be sentenced by the panel, which imposed a six-month confinement at the base’s corrections facility, a formal reprimand, and dismissal from the air force. The prosecution had requested five years. Steele described the process as “degrading” and said, “It felt intrusive and archaic.”
Jurisdiction Concerns
Under UK law, British authorities have primary jurisdiction over crimes committed by US service members off duty and off base. However, in this case, Cambridgeshire police agreed to let the US take the lead. Rachel VanLandingham, a law professor and former US air force judge advocate, said, “The British authorities should be fighting to maintain jurisdiction. Why should they trust the American military justice system with anything related to sexual assault?”
Wulfson’s conviction will be automatically reviewed by an air force appeals court. He is due to leave RAF Lakenheath in mid-September and return to the US. The only public record of his conviction is a docket entry on a US air force webpage, with no reference to the facts of the case or the victim’s nationality.
