Four Royal Marines punished after brutally attacking and stamping on 'drunk' man 'squeezing' a woman's neck
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The assault took place in a busy bar
Four Royal Marines have been locked up after they pummelled a recruit when they saw him 'annoying' a woman at a bar.
The Marines have been handed eight months service detention after they stepped in and battered 'drunk' Recruit Anton Mills when they saw him pestering a woman. A court heard that the Marines - Eathen Bradley-Moor, 22, Shaun Joash, 25, Lucas Johnson, 22 and Ben O'Callaghan, 23 - left the recruit with a cheekbone that was fractured in three places.
In a 'loss of control', the Marines repeatedly punched and kicked Recrt Mills, even stamping on him and continuing their ferocious attack when he fell to the ground. Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire was told that they did not know Recrt Mills knew the woman but became enraged when they saw him being 'drunk and annoying' and 'squeezing her neck'.
The injuries that Recrt Mills sustained at The Botanist bar in Exeter, Devon, in July last year have meant he has not been able to progress his career and remains a recruit. Mne Bradley-Moor, Mne Joash, Mne Johnson, and Mne O'Callaghan were also recruits at the time but have since become Marines.
They have now been handed eight months' service detention after pleading guilty to a count each of assault occasioning actual bodily harm at Bulford Military Court. The four marines and their victim, who all held the rank of recruit when the incident occurred, were stationed at the Commando Training Centre in Lympstone, Devon, at the time.
The four marines were a part of the 377 Troop and Recrt Mills was part of the 382 Troop. They had recently returned from a week-long training exercise when they decided to go out drinking. Recrt Mills had also been out drinking.
Prosecutor Colonel Neil Keery said: "[Recrt Mills] had been drinking most of the day and at about 21.00 he went to the botanist and spoke to a friend of his ex girlfriend. Recrt Mills and her had been talking about a holiday she was organising. The four defendants didn't know he knew her. Even on the crown's case he was drunk and annoying.
"He was persistent and even squeezed her neck at one point, not aggressively but not welcomed by her either. Bradley-Moor and Johnson start an altercation at this point. They effectively lead the assault. Bradley-Moor pushes over Recrt Mills. Another recruit then encourages Recrt Mills to leave but he does not so a much more serious assault follows. O’Callaghan and Joash saw something from across the bar and came over. All four were involved. They punch him onto the floor and then Johnson and O'Callaghan punch him and attempt kicks or stamps against him while he's on the floor."
Bystanders attempted to hold the Marines back and security came to diffuse the situation. However, by that time they had fractured Recrt Mills' cheekbone in three places. They were interviewed by service police but did not fully come clean about the extent of the fighting.
In a victim statement read to the court, Recrt Mills said: "After I sustained a fracture to my left cheekbone, I was unable to continue my training with 382 Troop and was put in 100 which is essentially for injured recruits. Following the assault I'm much more aware of my surroundings, especially when I’m out or have been drinking. I'm always checking over my shoulder.
"If I'd stayed with my old troop I would have my green beret by now but as it is I failed my run and haven't passed out yet. I still have months left of training. It's affected my morale as this was done by lads that I had been training with. I've found myself wondering if I should have joined The Royal Marines."
The four Marines have each since passed through and gained the rank of Marine, but they have all been employed in non-combat roles since the incident.
Lieutenant Commander Andrew Pandyan, defending Mne Joash, Mne Johnson and Mne O'Callaghan, said: "They had recently returned from a week long field training so they would have sleep deprivation, fatigue and stress from that. It has all the hallmarks of something that was very spontaneous. You can see how that interaction led to escalation.
"There was no thought behind it, it was just a loss of control. Recruits Joash and O'Callaghan are sort of swept into this as it is happening. Marine Johnson has a leading role in this but I don't think it was ever his intention for this melee to occur. It was unfortunate circumstances for the impaired judgement and subsequent loss of control."
They have now been sentenced to eight months in service detention at Colchester, Essex. Sentencing the marines, Judge Advocate General Alan Large said: "None of you have ever been in any trouble before, but on July 12 last year you were in The Botanist bar in Exeter.
"At around nine in the evening Anton Mills was talking to a friend of his ex-girlfriend’s. He was drunk and annoying her which led to a confrontation. Some of you kicked him. Some of you punched him. Some of you did both. You are all jointly responsible. Between you, you fractured his cheekbone in three places. It was treated by doctors in Lympstone until Recrt Mills rejoined training on September 5 but he unfortunately was held back. You were all arrested and interviewed and none of you properly owned up to what you had done.
"You all have positive references. You're all likely to have successful careers if you stay in the service. Unlawful violence can corrode operational ability and unit cohesiveness. Dismissal should be considered in cases of ABH [assault occasioning actual bodily harm]. This took place in a bar in Exeter and I have no doubt that many people knew you were service personnel.
"We have decided it's not necessary to dismiss you from His Majesty's service. We have decided that service detention is more in the interests of justice than a prison sentence."
The marines have also been ordered to pay their victim a total of £750 in compensation.