A SERVICEMAN with a ten-year Army history faces being drummed out of the Royal Military Police (RMP) after an act of “thuggery” on a night out with his brother, a court heard.

For a reason unknown to the court, Ryan Lynch turned on his brother, Nathan, repeatedly striking him as well as kicking him while on the ground.

Durham Crown Court heard it was a cctv operator, monitoring footage from cameras in the Market Place, Bishop Auckland, in the early hours of July 18, last year, who raised the alarm after observing much of the incident.

She saw Lynch pinning his brother against a wall of St Anne's Church and landing several punches, before wandering into the Market Place, then walking back to continue the pummelling of his defenceless sibling.

Sam Faulks, prosecuting, said Lynch ignored pleas of a female passer-by to leave him alone and he also caused trouble in a nearby pizza parlour.

Mr Faulks said the only thing to his credit was that Lynch “went quietly”, offering no resistance, when arrested.

He gave a “no comment” interview and his brother refused to support the prosecution.

Lynch, 29, of Southfield Drive, Bishop Auckland, admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and using threatening words and behaviour.

Adam Walker, mitigating, who presented four testimonials to the court on the defendant’s behalf, said the offence was, “completely out of character”.

He said Lynch held a, “position of responsibility” within the RMP, from which he faces being transferred due to this conviction, with a military disciplinary hearing to follow.

Mr Walker said Lynch, an Afghanistan veteran, is based in Belfast and has been doing valuable work recently assisting the NHS in the roll-out of the Covid vaccination programme.

Recorder Chris Smith told Lynch he has had, “a long and positive career in the Army”, but he had to sentence him for, “a piece of thuggery”, setting about his brother, “for whatever reason”, in “troubling” fashion.

Recorder Smith said it was only his “good service for this country” that persuaded him not to impose an immediate prison sentence.

He passed a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered Lynch to pay his brother £750 compensation.