Marine Pleads Guilty to GBH - Receives Community Order

Case study summary

Our client was sentenced to a low-level community order after pleading guilty to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm. Our specialist assault lawyers worked tirelessly in preparing as much mitigation as possible and give our client the best representation we could.

Case study

Our client was charged with one count of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm without intent. If convicted, he not only faced the horrific prospect of prison. He also risked losing his whole career.

He had built a spotless career serving in the Royal Marines. He had an exceptional record and had huge respect amongst his colleagues and senior officers. having served since 2020.

In March 2022, he was out celebrating his father's birthday. He got into an altercation with another male whom he had never met before. Following a tussle where our client was grabbed and threatened, he punched this male once in the face before walking away.

Our client had never been in trouble with the police before and was terrified about the possible consequences. Thankfully, he decided to instruct our specialist criminal lawyers to act on his behalf.

The stakes were high as Grevous Bodily Harm carries a maximum sentence of 5 years custody. Our client knew that if he went to prison, his career in the Marines would be over. Our specialist lawyers instantly took a proactive approach, we gathered as much mitigation as possible and obtained references that spoke glowingly about our client's good character. We obtained his impeccable Marine record, and testimony from senior officers, who spoke about how he was such a credit to the Royal Marines.

Our client received a low-level Community Order and was spared the hardship of prison and the devastation of losing his career in the Marines. He is now more focused than ever in fulfilling what is such a promising career.