Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley appears to have changed his mind about the need for an inquiry into historic complaints of sexual misconduct in the Bermuda Regiment.

The Deputy Premier, who as an Opposition MP was vocal about the need for a thorough review of a string of complaints made by male soldiers between 1989 and 2002, issued a statement last night in response to questions from The Royal Gazette, saying it was a matter for the Governor.

His apparent U-turn comes a week after former Regiment Major Glenn Brangman was jailed for three years after losing an appeal against his convictions for sexually assaulting a teenage clerk while he was boss of Bermuda Housing Corporation.

An investigation by this newspaper discovered that 13 soldiers made sexual misconduct complaints about Brangman, 61, while he served at Warwick Camp.

He was forced to retire because of the allegations in 2002, though nothing was made public about his reasons for leaving the Regiment and none of the other complaints led to any formal internal discipline.

Mr Dunkley first demanded an inquiry into the claims in October 2009 and reiterated the call in February last year, when Brangman was convicted of four assaults on the 19-year-old male clerk.

He said in a statement last night: “As the case highlighted in the media proves, the courts can be trusted to weigh evidence fairly and that is the place for matters of this kind to be dealt with.

“In addition, I am aware that the former [Regiment] CO [Brian Gonsalves] took these matters very seriously and then did a tremendous amount of work to address any internal deficiencies in the Regiment in dealing with these matters.

“The former [Regiment] Commander-in-Chief [Sir Richard Gozney] was also satisfied with the zero-tolerance approach taken by [Lieutenant] Colonel Gonsalves and the manner in which the Regiment dealt with the issues.

“Finally, as the Governor is the Commander-in-Chief of the Regiment, any inquiry would be a matter for Government House.”

In October 2009, Mr Dunkley told this newspaper that the allegations may have been covered up because they involved “well-known people” in the community.

He said the claims should not be “brushed under the carpet”, adding: “What makes it more concerning for me is that some of the names of the officers that are alleged to have carried out the behaviour are well-known in our community.

“Perhaps it was covered up for a reason. I’m not on a witch hunt; I just want accountability.”

Lt Col Gonsalves said in January 2010 that he had completed an internal Regiment review into the claims.

In February 2012, Mr Dunkley insisted there should still be an “independent inquiry”.

“I would have thought the authorities could have set up an independent inquiry into this for people who have experienced wrongdoing,” he said at the time. “It’s done all over the world all the time. If people are serious about moving forward, it can happen.”

His latest stance is likely to disappoint anti-conscription campaigner Larry Marshall, who has renewed his own calls for a Royal Commission into whether the claims of sexual misconduct were covered up.

The Bermudians Against the Draft founder wrote to Attorney General Mark Pettingill yesterday with a fresh request for an inquiry — and he told The Royal Gazette he hoped Mr Dunkley would give the idea his full support.

In his e-mail to the AG, Mr Marshall points out that Mr Dunkley made several calls for an inquiry when in Opposition.

This newspaper first revealed in 2009 that 14 allegations of sexual misconduct were made by soldiers at Warwick Camp between 1989 and 2002 and, after Brangman’s conviction last February, we reported that 13 of them were about him.

Former Governor Richard Gozney said in October 2009 that there was “no convincing argument” for a Royal Commission into the allegations but Mr Marshall said he still believed the victims deserved a proper inquiry and he would continue to fight for one.

Several of Brangman’s alleged Regiment victims told their stories to The Royal Gazette, as reported last week, and Mr Marshall quotes them in his e-mail to Mr Pettingill.

He writes that their “heart wrenching comments” and the recent Court of Appeal decision to uphold Brangman’s convictions mean an investigation is “indeed warranted”.

“I believe there is an abundance of evidence that warrants opening up a board of inquiry of some sort,” Mr Marshall adds. “Most importantly, a Commission would bring perpetrators to justice, albeit belatedly, and in the process bring closure to the many alleged victims.

“It would set a precedent whereby victims are encouraged to come forward after their horrible ordeal, as opposed to being discouraged from doing so. And it would show that the OBA Government values these alleged victims as opposed to ignoring their traumatic experiences.”

The BAD campaigner suggests to Mr Pettingill that he look to Pennsylvania and the Jerry Sandusky and William Lynn child sex abuse cases, which were investigated decades after the offences occurred.

“We are told in Bermuda that because these alleged sexual assaults and subsequent cover-ups [at Warwick Camp] occurred prior to 2002 there is no need for an investigation,” he writes. “I find that to be both illogical and grossly unfair.

“What I also find illogical and unfair is the fact that in the Jerry Sandusky case, a thorough investigation was launched after just one allegation, yet here we are in Bermuda with 13 allegations against a former officer being made and there has yet to be an investigation. That is astonishing.”