Welshpool soldier spared jail after spanner attack
A serving soldier who was badly injured while on duty in Afghanistan has been spared jail after attacking another man with a spanner.
James Wilding appeared at Mold Crown Court on Monday having admitted assaulting a man in Montgomery, Mid Wales, in the early hours of New Year's Day, and possessing the spanner as an offensive weapon.
But the 25-year-old was spared a prison sentence because the court heard from a sergeant major that even a suspended prison sentence would mean his discharge – and that would deprive him of the specialist help he is receiving to aid his recovery.
Wilding, who is based at Chatham in Kent but is from Coed y Llan at Cyfronydd, near Welshpool, was given a 12 month community order to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work, placed on a three month tagged curfew between 7pm and 6am, and ordered to pay £250 compensation.
Judge Niclas Parry, presiding, said he had received a letter from a sergeant major in the Army which confirmed that Wilding had received serious injury in action in Afghanistan.
It also said a prison sentence would mean that he would be discharged which would leave him without the support the Army wanted to give.
"You were involved in what can only described as a sustained, alcohol-fuelled attack during a large disturbance outside licensed premises in a rural part of Wales," Judge Parry told Wilding.
"You repeatedly struck him about the head and body with that weapon. Street violence from the cities will not be tolerated in the rural communities of Wales. However, you are currently receiving treatment to help put right what happened in your life through no fault of yours while carrying out your duties and a custodial sentence, even a suspended one, would deprive you of that.
"Therefore, quite exceptionally, I am prepared to impose a community order."
Prosecuting barrister Simon Rogers said the victim left The Crown, Montgomery, in the early hours of the morning to break up what appeared to be a fight between two women. He said Wilding was seen to go to a red VW Golf nearby and pick up a metal object which turned out to be a spanner, which he then used to strike the victim.
Jonathan Austin, for Wilding, said that the soldier had seen his girlfriend being assaulted and become involved in the fight to protect her.
