Queen’s Guard ‘grabbed police officer around the throat while fellow soldier hurled racist abuse’ as they got kicked out of Leicester Square club
The men had spent more than £4,000 on alcohol and at a strip club before the confrontation
A QUEEN'S guardsman grabbed a police officer around the neck while a fellow soldier screamed racial slurs at the cop, including calling him a "black c**t", a court has heard.
Oliver White, 21, admitted to grabbing the cop during an argument outside a Leicester Square club while another soldier, Thomas McLaughlin, hurled abuse at him after the men went on a £4,000 alcohol-fuelled bender.
PC Owura Kodua said he was called a "black c--t"and left unable to breathe after the drunken attack.
He said he had gone to speak with the men, who are both 21-years-old and who were with 19-year-old Paul Holland, after they were kicked out of Zoo Bar in Leicester Square.
The group, who all serve for the elite regiment at Wellington Barracks, were thrown out of the club after hurling abuse at a group of American tourists and insulting the US Army, prompting door staff to call the police on August 2.
PC Andrew Fletcher said he tried to speak to the soldiers but McLaughlin called him an "American c**t" and began squaring up to him while White tried to hold him back.
PF Fletcher said in a statement: "He continued to call me a c**t and said he would take me down if I tried to do anything, he then said he would destroy me."
"He said that I was a skinny white c**t, said he would 'drop me' and spat at me."
When PC Owura Kodua tried to help his colleague, he was pulled into a choke hold and also the victim of racial sluts.
It took both officers to arrest White and restrain him while he kicked out and spat at them.
Jersey-born McLaughlin then called PC Kodua a "black c**t" while he was being handcuffed.
PC Kodua said in a statement read to the court: "I've been assaulted during my seven years as a police officer, but this incident was the worst and the most frightening.
"Being grabbed around the throat whilst I am trying to do my job is not something you should be subjected to - I couldn't breath and had I not broken free it would have caused injury to my neck.
"I was then subject to racist abuse".
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When Holland was arrested he screamed "All for one and one for all".
All three soldiers were based at Wellington Barracks, just 300 yards from Buckingham Palace, but McLaughlin has since terminated his service, Westminster Magistrates Court heard.
Disgraced McLaughlin was spared jail in October for spending £4,500 on champagne and buying private dances at a strip club with another soldier's debit card.
PC Fletcher said: "I have been a police officer for seven years, I've got a good working relationship with the community including the Wellington Barracks and I have never been subjected to such hateful abuse before.
"This is making me think extremely hard about patrolling Leicester Square - I've never been targeted with such conviction as Mr McLoughlin showed.
"No one should be subjected to this sort of behaviour regardless of their skin colour or nationality."
Being grabbed around the throat whilst I am trying to do my job is not something you should be subjected to - I couldn't breath and had I not broken free it would have caused injury to my neck.
Owura Kodua
Holland admitted being drunk and disorderly and obstructing a constable in the execution of their duty.
White admitted assaulting a constable in the execution of their duty.
McLaughlin admitted two counts of racially aggravated harassment.
John Greany, defending McLaughlin, said: "He was with two young friends, out on the town, drinking too much away from his military barracks and it all gets out of hand.
"Mr McLaughlin himself was trying to calm others down, but obviously he disgraces himself thereafter.
"He is deeply ashamed of what he has done and he said as much in his interview."
The young man had told his sergeant major he could not remember what happened but later claimed to be "disgusted" when he saw CCTV footage of the attack.
BAD BEHAVIOUR
Queen's Guards have gotten into trouble before, with an officer filmed snorting a line of a powder-like substance off a ceremonial sword — while on duty protecting the Royals.
Major James Coleby, 41, sniffed it during a boozy knees-up in the Officers’ Mess at St James’s Palace while commanding a unit that responds to any royal security breaches.
An investigation has since been launced into the incident.
McLaughlin has a previous conviction for assault as a 15-year-old as well as the recent theft matter.
Mr Greany added that McLaughlin had since left the Army, was looking for work while living with his father in Jersey and now intends to reapply to serve in two years.
Amiz Ahmaz, representing both White and Holland, said White had been a Guardsman for two years, while Holland had been one for just 13 months, a "position he sought since childhood."
McLaughlin was sentenced to an 18-month community order and 120 hours unpaid work as well as attend a 15-day rehabilitation requirement activity and pay £100 compensation to the two police officers, £85 costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
He was handed a 12-month community order in October at the same court after he admitted theft.
White was sentenced to an 18-month community order and ordered to perform 100 hours of unpaid work and to pay £150 compensation to PC Kouda, as well as £85 court costs and a £115 victim surcharge.
Holland was given a £323 fine for obstructing a police officer, a £107 fine for being drunk and disorderly and order to pay £85 costs and a £32 victim surcharge.
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