A prestigious Army regiment guard was banned from a role in King Charles‘ Coronation after launching a drunken assault when ‘banter’ got out of control, a military court has heard.
Corporal of Horse Jake McClure, 35, took his drunken colleague Trooper Jake O’Mahoney ‘by his suit jacket’ and flung him through a set of double swing doors during a boozy lunch at their Hyde Park Barracks in April 2023.
Tpr O’Mahoney suffered facial scarring in the assault which split his lip and left him unable to speak properly for two weeks.
As a result of the ‘unseemly bundle’, CoH McClure was barred from riding as part of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment during King Charles’ Coronation Procession the following month.
CoH McClure admitted one charge of assault occasioning ABH, and has been ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation to his victim.
Corporal of Horse Jake McClure, 35, took his drunken colleague Trooper Jake O’Mahoney ‘by his suit jacket’ and flung him through a set of double swing doors during a boozy lunch at their Hyde Park Barracks in April 2023
CoH McClure admitted one charge of assault occasioning ABH, and has been ordered to pay £1,000 in compensation to his victim
CoH McClure had attended a special ceremony in which their cohort were one of two regiments to receive ceremonial flags with the new King’s Cypher and Crown from the monarch himself at Buckingham Palace.
To celebrate the occasion, which was also attended by The Queen Consort, junior soldiers were invited back to the seniors’ mess.
Bulford Military Court, in Wiltshire, heard CoH McClure – who was previously part of the Red Devils British Army Parachute display team – and Tpr O’Mahoney began ‘winding each other up’ and ‘exchanging banter’.
When ‘increasingly intoxicated’ Tpr O’Mahoney continued to ‘interrupt’ his conversations – claiming he owed him a pint – and repeatedly refuse to leave the event, CoH McClure’s took him ‘by his suit jacket’ and flung him through a set of doors.
Prosecutor Lieutenant Colonel Emma Whiting told the hearing that alcohol was ‘available’ after the Life Guard Sovereign Standard Parade on April 27 last year.
‘Tpr O’Mahoney, the victim, was clearly intoxicated,’ she said.
‘He and CoH McClure were exchanging banter and winding each other up.
‘At some point the defendant had enough of the victim’s behaviour and told him to leave. The victim refused and the defendant again told him to leave.
‘He refused again and he pushed him through a set of doors and threw him to the ground.’
She said the assault was ‘reckless’ and done in the ‘spur of the moment’.
The victim was sent to hospital for treatment and had his wounds glued before being discharged with antibiotics and ‘considerable swelling’ which ‘limited his ability’ to talk for several weeks.
As a result of the ‘unseemly bundle’, CoH McClure was barred from riding as part of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment during King Charles’ Coronation Procession
In a victim personal statement read to the court, Tpr O’Mahoney said: ‘During the incident my lip was split open, leaving scars visible today.
‘I was unable to speak properly for two weeks.’
He added the experience was ‘humiliating’ and put a ‘strain’ on his then marriage.
In mitigation, Philip Stott said CoH McClure ‘deeply regrets’ his actions.
The court heard CoH McClure had one alcoholic drink en route back to the Hyde Park barracks, before Troopers were invited back to the senior mess.
Mr Stott said Tpr O’Mahoney became ‘increasingly intoxicated’ by drinking wine from the bottle and due to a mix up with CoH McClure, thought he owed him a pint.
‘Two or three times he tried to interrupt McClure’s conversation saying he owed him a drink,’ he said.
‘He told him firmly to step away and the third time he said he would be removed.’
The court heard Tpr O’Mahoney said ‘you can’t do that’ before ‘puffing his chest out’ and saying ‘make me’.
‘McClure was surprised by this reaction – he saw it as inappropriate and decided to throw him out, grabbing him by his suit jacket, through the double swing doors and pushing him to the floor.’
He added CoH McClure was ‘not overly intoxicated’ at the time.
‘Whilst being investigated, he was refused permission to ride in the Coronation parade, which he took as a form of punishment,’ he continued.
Addressing him, Assistant Judge Advocate John Atwill said CoH McClure had reacted to a ‘very significant degree of provocation’.
‘You decided to physically expel him in an unseemly bundle,’ he said.
‘Because of your actions that man received facial injuries that required medical intervention.
‘Your offence had real impact on that young man.’
Referring to a previous incident of fighting on his record, he added: ‘This is the second time you have become involved in unlawful violence.
‘Your leadership failed you on these occasions.’
Bulford Military Court, in Wiltshire, heard CoH McClure – who was previously part of the Red Devils British Army Parachute display team – and Tpr O’Mahoney began ‘winding each other up’ and ‘exchanging banter’
Sentencing him, he added: ‘We have concluded that, exceptionally, you can retain your rank.’
However, he said his loss of self discipline, ‘whatever their success in provoking you’, warranted a period of service detention.
This 46 day sentence was suspended for 18 months.
‘You must recognise the loss of self control that occurred on this offence puts you at risk,’ he continued.
‘We encourage you to continue to seek support from your unit and the chain of command.’
CoH McClure was also ordered to pay Tpr O’Mahoney £1,000 in compensation over a four month period.
According to the British Army website, The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment are the ceremonial face of the regiment, conducting mounted state and public duties in London.
Their prestige and horsemanship takes them across the UK and the rest of the world on key international events, all whilst representing the monarch.
