Royal Navy sailor to continue serving on HMS Queen Elizabeth after attacking friends in "drunken rampage"
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A young sailor who went on a “drunken rampage” and battered two of his colleagues has avoided dismissal from the Royal Navy.
Able Seaman Jake Creek was handed a suspended sentence and fined £350 after he attacked two fellow sailors at HMS Sultan in Military Road, Gosport. He’ll continue to serve aboard HMS Queen Elizabeth, which is currently in Scotland undergoing crucial repairs.
Bulford Military Court, Wiltshire, was told that AB Creek, 19, was in his second phase of training when he had the altercations with his colleagues. They had been at a Gosport vs Fareham football game earlier in the evening of November 9, 2024, and afterwards had continued to drink into the night back at the Royal Navy base.
AB Creek joined three of his classmates who were sharing two bottles of vodka, each a litre, in a common room at around midnight. Prosecuting, Lieutenant Commander Luis Canosa told the court that AB Creek wanted another drink to continue his “drunken stupor” when he suddenly left without a word.
He left 'looking for a fight', which prompted his friends to text him saying it would be a bad idea. The sailor proceeded to attack two colleagues, splitting one's eyebrow with a ringed fist and punching another's nose.
Opening the trial, Lt Cdr Canosa said: "This is a case about a navy man committing an act of violence. He was drinking and went looking for more alcohol. He was sending messages saying he wanted to fight people. His friend replied and said 'don't fight dickhead'."
Lieutenant Commander Matthew Poulsom, defending, said the other men had in fact tasked AB Creek with retrieving them alcohol. The 19-year-old was sentenced to eight Weeks Service detention suspended for 18 months and a £350 Service Compensation Order. AB Creek admitted one count of battery and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He was cleared of two further counts of battery at a trial.