A drunken Grenadier Guardsman punched a military policeman on the nose while brawling outside a pub after the notorious annual Army v Navy rugby match.
Lance Corporal James Charles Porter, 22, had been drinking since the morning of the Twickenham clash, attended by 80,000 service personnel.
Local residents have long campaigned for the fixture to be moved due to excessive drunken rowdy behaviour, vomiting and urinating in nearby streets and attendees passing out through alcohol intoxication.
Today, Porter, of Lille Barracks, Redvers Buller Road, Aldershot pleaded guilty to assaulting Lance Corporal David Osborne in London Road, Twickenham on May 4.
The victim was on duty with other military policeman to assist keeping order in the streets around the stadium, where Army defeated Navy 27-11 to retain the Babcock Trophy.
Prosecutor Ms Amanda McCabe told Wimbledon Magistrates Court: “He saw two males tussling outside The Timberyard pub and approached with a colleague shouting: ‘Service police!’
“They pulled the two males apart, but one of them, this defendant, refused to calm down and continued trying to tussle with the other male.”
Lance Corporal Osborne told the police: “The next thing the male punched me on the nose and I grabbed the top half of him and put him to the ground.”
Porter, who has served all over the world, including Iraq, Kenya and the Falkland Islands, was quickly arrested by Met police officers.
“The defendant told officers he had been drinking since 11am and had consumed alcohol throughout the day,” added Ms McCabe.
“He said he was having a tiff and tried to push a friend away and the next thing he knew he was on the floor surrounded by the police.”
Porter claimed in interview: “I may have lashed out in self-defence.”
The victim suffered reddening to his nose and bruising to his hand.
Porter’s lawyer James Preedy told the court: “He has just got back from seven months in Iraq and is a young man of good character with no convictions.
“This conviction will have major disciplinary consequences for him in the Army and there will be a promotional ban for him and he will be punished.
“He does have a memory lapse regarding the incident, which was at the Army versus Navy rugby match, which is notorious for drinking.
“Some can hold their drink better than others and on this day Mr. Porter did not hold his drink well.
“He is very remorseful and says it was an argument with his friend that got his blood flowing and he got anxious at the time.”
Porter’s Captain attended the hearing, describing the defendant as a “dedicated” soldier, who is “disciplined and focused.”
Porter was conditionally discharged for two years and ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge.
Magistrate Mr. Barry Wareing told him: “Undoubtedly this was not your finest hour and it is very unfortunate that it occurred in and around Twickenham stadium when the Army versus Navy match was going on.”
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