AN ARMY major working in global troublespots headbutted a junior colleague over who should pay for a round of shots.
Boozed-up Oliver Stilgoe, 32, broke Sgt Christopher Morgan’s nose.
Army major Oliver Stilgoe headbutted a junior colleague over an unpaid bar bill
A court martial heard Stilgoe, of the UK’s Global Crisis Response HQ, had been having a “bad time” after a lack of support from his chain of command.
He had also spent only four hours with his family in Cyprus before learning of a new posting.
Major Stilgoe wiped away tears as he admitted his “appalling and disgraceful” assault.
The court heard that Stilgoe, who had carried the rank of Major for two years and seven months, had been through a series of traumatic postings with very little leave.
He was one of the first officers deployed to Turkey following the earthquake in February last year, which killed 40,000 people and reduced entire cities to rubble.
He was then sent to Nigeria and Djibouti to coordinate the safe return of British citizens caught in the war in Sudan.
Ms Magill said Stilgoe had been suffering from depression and that it had gone undiagnosed because of his frantic work schedule.
Judge Advocate Andrew Smith told Stilgoe that an assault by an officer on a junior rank in public while on operation duty would result in dismissal from the armed forces in all but the most exceptional circumstances.
Stilgoe escaped the sack.
Instead the panel in Catterick, North Yorks, ruled he will suffer a loss of seniority.
Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
