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The former commanding officer of an Armed Forces base in Alberta has been found guilty of sexual assault.

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A military judge found that Maj. David Yurczyszyn groped a woman’s breast near the Wainwright training base, southeast of Edmonton, nearly two years ago.

At the beginning of his court martial this week, Yurczyszyn pleaded guilty to a charge of drunkenness under the National Defence Act.

But he denied intentionally grabbing the woman at a party on Remembrance Day in 2012. He testified he was picking a hair off her sweater when he stumbled into her by accident.

The judge, Col. Michael Gibson, told court he believed the woman’s version of events.

A publication ban prevents identifying the woman. The prosecutor, Lt.-Cmdr. Saloumeh Torani, said she couldn’t reveal if the woman is a civilian or a soldier.

Torani said Yurczyszyn had been drinking at the legion and another bar before he showed up in his uniform at the party in the town of Wainwright. He was intoxicated, dishevelled and slurring his words.

“While at the party he made some comments about this lady’s breasts and then touched the breasts,” Torani said.

She believes the judge will be ready to sentence Yurczyszyn on Friday.

She has asked that the officer be demoted two levels in rank to a lieutenant. Yurczyszyn’s lawyer recommended he receive a severe reprimand on his file and a fine between $5,000 and $8,000.