U.S. Air Force Officer Smashed Ornament During Epic All-Day Booze Bender

Pub Crawl: Mesnard

A drunken United States Air Force officer - thirteen hours into a 26-bar Circle Line pub crawl - smashed a TV dog trainer's expensive canine topiary garden ornament outside her £1.5m mews house.

First Lt. Christopher Mesnard, 26, based at RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, began his epic pub crawl at 11.00am and was arrested just after midnight when he became separated from his group.

He pleaded guilty yesterday to causing £995 worth of criminal damage to the fake ivy-type garden ornament, belonging to Lucy Kennedy at in Victoria Grove Mews, Bayswater on March 30.

Mesnard is the 100 ARW Deputy Chief of Public Affairs, a graduate of the University of Texas and George Washington University, where he obtained a masters degree in strategic public relations.

The incident is a PR own-goal for the US Air Force and "ashamed" Mesnard faces further punishment from his employers.

Miss Kennedy, who starred in Sky's 'A Different Breed' with her dog Ted has also appeared on 'The Apprentice', 'The Wright Stuff' and 'It's Me of the Dog.'

Hammersmith Magistrates Court heard that she was woken by Mesnard in her front garden and went down to investigate.

"I made my way downstairs the front door," she told police. "I saw a male pulling my dog statue. I screamed at him and he fell backwards and broke the tail off."

Prosecutor Mr. Manjit Mahal told the court Miss Kennedy and her partner followed Mesnard and called the police, who arrested him in nearby Ossington Street.

"Mr. Mesnard confirmed he was on a pub crawl with his mates, which started in a champagne bar in Paddington Station.

"He was doing a twenty-six pub crawl along the Circle Line, drinking half a pint in each pub and staying there for thirty to forty-five minutes."

At that rate Mesnard would have consumed up to thirteen pints of lager when he smashed the statue.

"He said other friends joined along the way and he got separated and he was texting friends and was drunk, but not incapable.

"He was on his way to meet friends when stopped by the police.

"He was adamant he did not touch or damage a statue in any way."

Mesnard initially fought the charge, but changed his plea to guilty on the day of the trial and told the court: "I just want to start off with my sincerest apologies for causing so much angst over the damage to the property and to my fellow servicemen and women for representing them so badly.

"A apologise for drinking so much.

"After learning how intoxicated I had become I am embarrassed and feel I cannot fight the case.

Pursuit: Kennedy

"I acted out of the norm. It sickens me that I have caused Miss Kennedy so much distress.

"I am ashamed that as an officer I behaved in this way and as an officer I face further punishment."

He insisted he did not have an alcohol problem, confirmed by the US Air Force, and described the incident as a: "Lapse from my normal behaviour.

"I've learned a great lesson from my actions……I failed everyone and myself this time."

District Judge Samantha Bain told Mesnard: "I take into account that your name has been besmirched, which is a serious thing for yourself."

She fined him £250, with £150 costs and a £25 victim surcharge and ordered him to pay £995 compensation to Miss Kennedy.