A naval commander has been charged with indecent assault of a female lieutenant and is facing a court martial in Auckland.

A female officer told the court martial this morning about how she was repeatedly groped by her superior during a boozy function.

Both she and the commander - who's been charged - have name suppression.

The complainant said she was in a group when the first of five gropes to her buttocks took place.

She said she had to sit down to protect herself from the man, who gave her sly looks, and laughed when she told him to stop.