Household Cavalry captain fined £1,500 for punching bar staff who told him he couldn't finish the wine he'd just bought because they were closing

• Captain Jeremy Sudlow, 28, punched and slapped two barmen in May 
• He had spent £50 on two bottles of wine and was angry when told to leave
• The attack took place at Fulham Wine Rooms in Parsons Green, London
• The soldier, who served in Afghanistan, has been branded a 'complete idiot'

By Jenny Awford

Published: 11:05 EST, 8 August 2014 | Updated: 11:15 EST, 8 August 2014

Captain Jeremy Sudlow, 28, attacked two barmen at Fulham Wine Rooms, London, after he was told to leave - 10 minutes after ordering two bottles of wine

A Cavalry officer has been fined £1,500 for attacking two barmen who were closing up - despite having sold him two bottles of wine just 10 minutes earlier. 

Captain Jeremy Sudlow, 28, punched and slapped the men at Fulham Wine Rooms in Parsons Green, southwest London, as they attempted to close the bar at around midnight.

The officer, who serves in the Household Cavalry Regiment based in Windsor had just spent £50 on two bottles of wine for his table and was angry that he was not given time to finish.

He became aggressive and spoke rudely to the bar manager before punching another barman in the face on 16 May this year, Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Stella Waata said: ‘Mr Sudlow was with a group of friends and whilst there they proceeded to consume a lot of wine though the evening and had been very noisy, disruptive and abusive through the evening.

‘Towards closing time, about midnight, Robert Bateman - one of the victims - asked the table of Mr Sudlow to finish up so that they could close.’

But the intoxicated soldier, from Castle Cary, Somerset, who has also served in the parachute regiment and fought in Afghanistan, became angry and shouted at the bar staff.

‘Mr Bateman says he returned to the table approximately five minutes later when he was again rudely spoken to,’ said Ms Waata.

The assault took place at the Fulham Wine Rooms in Parsons Green, southwest London, in May this year

‘The second victim, John Atkinson, tried to pick up a glass of wine which still had a little wine left in it.

‘Mr Sudlow squared up to Mr Atkinson and then punched him with his right hand with a closed fist to the left side of his face.

‘Mr Atkinson returns to the counter where he began to call police.

‘In the meantime, Mr Bateman had gone to the table and attempted to clear up the table.

‘Mr Sudlow then slapped Mr Bateman around the back of his head.’

The officer was arrested shortly after the attacks and taken to the police station.

‘He stated his memory was slightly fuzzy, he had a glass of wine taken out of his hand, he knows he tried to get it back or get a refund,’ said Ms Waata.

The disgraced soldier wore a dark grey suit and a bright blue spotted tie for his appearance at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court in London today. Sudlow has been fined £1,200 and branded a 'complete idiot'

‘He can’t remember punching anyone, he does remember slapping someone and if he had punched someone he would remember it.’ 

Today Ludlow pleaded guilty to two counts of assault.

Tim Lawson-Cruttenden, defending, said: ‘At about closing time he had been drinking there all evening, he bought two bottles of wine which cost £50 and it was literally ten minutes before the wine bar was going to close and he expected to be given the opportunity of drinking that - he had spent £50 on it.’

Mr Sudlow was ordered to pay nearly £2,000 today at Hammersmith Magistrates' Court - including fines and court costs - after he attacked two barmen in May this year

He told the court Sudlow’s ‘grossly bad behaviour’ was triggered when Mr Atkinson attempted to take his wine glass.

Sudlow, whose career hangs in the balance, has been ordered to carry out community service by his commanding officer and was sent to a doctor, the court heard.

‘He is a person of previous good character, he has served this country in Afghanistan in a very difficult situation, his military career is going to be in jeopardy,’ said Mr Lawson-Cruttenden.

‘This was bad behaviour, bad drinking behaviour, but we are looking at the lowest level of behaviour as far as this court is concerned.’

But Lead Magistrate Greg Thomson said: ‘Despite what has been said on your behalf, this is a serious offence.

Mr Sudlow (not pictured) serves in the Household Cavalry Regimet based in Windsor, Berkshire, but his career now hangs in the balance

‘There are a number of aggravating features, the first of which was the location- it was a wine bar.

‘The timing - it was closing time when people had had a lot to drink.

‘The third was that you chose to assault two members of staff who were simply trying to do their job.’

He added: ‘It was also an aggravating factor that there was more than one assault and in the first assault you used a clenched fist.

‘Happily for you there were no serious injuries.’

Mr Ludlow studied at the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester.

The soldier, whose address is given as the Officers Mess at Hyde Park Barracks, was slapped with a £750 fine for each assault.

He was ordered to pay £100 compensation to both his victims, a further £75 victim surcharge and £85 towards the prosecution costs.

The Magistrate added: ‘I want to emphasise to you this was a shocking lack of judgement on your part. You were a complete idiot.’

Sudlow has been a member of the armed forces since 2009 and ran this year’s Virgin London Marathon as part of an army team, clocking a time of 3.09. 

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