Lympstone Marine fined after punching 16-year-old boy unconscious

A newly qualified Royal Marine has been ordered to pay compensation to a drunken teenager who he knocked senseless outside a fast food shop.

Lympstone-based Charlie Wilson was caught on CCTV as he tried to calm down the 16-year-old victim who had gone on an all-night drinking spree after watching an Exeter Chiefs game.

He and Wilson had never met before but ended up outside McDonalds in Exeter High Street at 3.00 am where the younger boy became agitated and was filmed haranguing Wilson in the street.

The Marine remained calm for a while and was seen putting a finger to his lips to try to get him to shut up before he lost patience and flattened the youth with a single punch.

He then fled the scene after being attacked by the victim’s friends and then approached by the police. He ended up tripping over a bench as he tried to escape from the police.

Wilson, aged 19, of Little Lever, Bolton, admitted assault and was fined £250 with £800 compensation by Judge David Evans at Exeter Crown Court. The penalty means he will be able to continue his career with forces.

The judge told him: ”You punched him straight to his face and knocked him straight onto his back on the pavement. This court has sent people to prison in similar situations in which a single blow to a stranger has ended up killing them.

“You are extremely fortunate the injuries you inflicted were relatively minor. It was a nasty and cowardly sucker punch and you didn’t have the decency to stay to explain yourself or find out how seriously he was hurt.”

Mr Thomas Faulkner, prosecuting, said the attack happened at around 3 am on January 7 this year when Wilson hit a 16-year-old boy who later told police he had been drinking since going to a Chiefs game and had consumed eight pints of lager.

The victim was knocked unconscious and suffered from concussion and bruising to his face and was advised to go easy on sport for a few days by his school nurse.

Mr Simon Burns, defending, said Wilson had recently completed commando training with the Royal Marines and been awarded his green beret. He is likely to be deployed soon and has excellent references from senior officers which praise his military skills and determination.

He said Wilson has never been in trouble before and is extremely remorseful about the attack.