Sentence in Canadian naval officer's desertion case

Military Judge (Colonel)
Michael R. Gibson

Royal Canadian Navy Lieutenant Derek de Jong, convicted of deserting HMCS Preserver while on a 2012 port call at Key West, Florida, has been sentenced to a $5000 fine and a severe reprimand. He had stressed shipboard harassment as matter in extenuation. CBC News reported:

Military judge Col. Michael Gibson said it was completely unacceptable for a senior officer to "pick up their marbles and go home," even if he was being mistreated.

Gibson didn't accept the harassment allegations as a mitigating factor in the sentence, saying de Jong could have pursued other methods to resolve his grievances.

"There are many appropriate mechanisms, but you did not engage them or persist in engaging them," said Gibson. "Instead, you chose to run away."