Shropshire Star

'I hope you are ashamed' - Three soldiers faced dismissal after brawling at Shrewsbury's Montgomery Tower pub

Three squaddies who were involved in a street fight faced dismissal from the Army when they appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Published

Stephen Foster, Lewis Coupe and Connor Morris had been training at Nesscliffe Army Camp when they visited Shrewsbury town centre for a night out.

There they were involved in a brawl with four other men in the early hours of the morning.

Prior to their appearance in court, the three men had been told by their superior officers that if they were given custody, suspended sentences or more than 90 hours community service they would be dismissed from the Army.

Foster, 33 of Blackpool, Lancashire, Coupe, 21 of Rochdale, Greater Manchester, and Morris, 23 of Bulford Barracks, Salisbury, had all previously pleaded guilty to a charge of affray following an incident at Montgomery's Tower in Lower Claremont Bank, Shrewsbury, in September last year.

The fight involved seven men in total and CCTV footage shown in court saw the group grappling with each other, kicking and stamping on their victims.

Judge Jim Tindal, sentencing the three men, said: "I hope you are ashamed of yourselves. You are three perfectly good soldiers. Foster, you must take the most responsibility.

"You could have walked away and then you would not be here now. But you started it.

"In other circumstances I would have taken the view that custody was the only option. But in this case you would lose your job. That would not only affect you but also your family and that would be disproportionate.

"Instead I sentence you to a 12-month community order, 90 hours unpaid work, a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days and £250 costs."

Judge Tindal also ordered that Foster should face a curfew during his next home leave which is due this summer.

Morris was also given a 12-month community order, a rehabilitation activity requirement for 20 days, 90 hours unpaid work and £150 costs.

The youngest, Coupe, was "dragged in to this by the behaviour of others" and was made subject to a community order for six months, ordered to carry out 60 hours unpaid work and to pay costs of £100.

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