Soldier hit partner's head against board outside Shropshire pub
A community support officer ran to help a woman after her soldier partner smacked her head against a board during a row outside a pub, a court was told.
The officer had been on patrol in Wem following the town carnival on September 5 when she was alerted to a fight that had broken out at the White Lion Pub in the town, said Mrs Abigail Hall, prosecuting at Telford Magistrates Court.
Mrs Hall said the officer saw Ben David Egerton grab a woman in a headlock outside the pub and, as she ran towards them, bang her head three times against a board outside the building.
Mrs Hall said the woman was left dazed after the attack and would not speak to give her name.
The victim told witnesses to leave her alone and crossed the road, before returning to try to be with Egerton as he was arrested.
Mrs Hall said just prior to his arrest, 30-year-old Egerton had stated "I have done nothing wrong." She later added he had said: "Common assault on my partner, that's ridiculous, she's five times as worse."
The prosecutor read out a statement by a second officer who arrived on the scene who said he saw Egerton grab the woman by the hair and bang her head repeatedly against a board outside the pub. "Her expression appeared blank and she didn't say anything," said Mrs Hall.
The court was told Egerton, a corporal who has served in Afghanistan, Kenya and Cyprus, had cuts and was bleeding from his fingers.
Mrs Hall said the victim did not support the prosecution, but had provided a statement saying the fight stemmed from a row between the couple about Egerton's ex-wife.
"Both of us said things we should not have said and upset each other," she said in the statement. Egerton pleaded guilty to assault by beating. He was fined £310 plus £266 for various court charges.
The couple had known each other for 12 years and had got together following the breakdown of Egerton's marriage 18 months previously, the court was told.
Egerton, of Ivydene, Myddle, Shrewsbury, told police he did not drink regularly because of his job but on that night had drunk 10 pints of lager. He said he could not remember anything about the incident.
The defendant, who was not represented, told the court: "I have no excuse for my actions which I very deeply regret."
He said that since joining the Army his record had been "pretty much perfect", an appraisal later backed in court by his commanding officer.
