A retired officer in the Canadian Navy has been convicted of sexual assault and threats against a young female student on board a navy sailboat more than a decade and a half ago.

The charges against former Petty Officer First Class James R. Levysc stem from the 2006 voyage of HMCS Oriole, a historic training ship that serves a dual role as a navy model during its summer trips along the Canadian coasts.

The victim, whose identity cannot be disclosed under a court-imposed publication ban, testified at a military court hearing in Victoria that Levysc, a senior non-commissioned officer, repeatedly touched her and subjected her to physical assault, leaving bruises on her arms, during the ship's long summer voyage from southern Vancouver Island to Alaska.

The court heard that he later threatened to have sex with her and left more bruises on her body.

She said these incidents left the student in a constant state of fear of sailing and unable to sleep on board ships, which is a major obstacle to her future career in the navy. Levysc denied these three charges.

The court heard there were no eyewitnesses to the assaults or threats, while the defense presented testimony from his fellow sailors who said the incidents were not true.

However, the prosecution presented testimony from another woman who was among the 24-person crew that summer. She testified that the victim was held under threats.

The verdict on the sexual offenses reached the Canadian Armed Forces, where a retired Supreme Court judge urged the military to hand over the trial of sexual crimes within its ranks to the civilian court system.

Levysc will be sentenced during a hearing scheduled to begin on July 9.