Ex-soldier executes brutal army-like attack on man who ran off with his wife

UK:   An ex-Royal Marine who led a punishment beating with a pal on a former comrade who ran off with his wife, faces jail after being found guilty of actual bodily harm.

Ex-Royal Marine Lee Craven and pal Steven Walters carried out a military-style operation to trap and attack victim Kenny Churchill.

Walters shadowed victim Kenny Churchill as he set off from his lover Zara Craven's home in Exmouth, Devon, to drive to Plymouth.

He remained in phone contact with Craven, who came across Mr Churchill as he joined the A38 at Kennford near Exeter, and gestured for him to leave the road.

Mr Churchill followed Craven into the car park of the Gissons Arms pub without realising that he was falling into a trap and that Walters was waiting to join in an attack on him.

He was held in a headlock so tightly by Walters that he thought he was going to die and Craven then kicked him in the face until he fell to the ground.

He was rescued by brave Kennford villager Mrs Diane Worley who saw both attackers kicking the victim on the ground stopped her car and got out to intervene.

The attack was in revenge for Mr Churchill starting an affair with Craven's attractive model wife Zara while he was abroad working on anti piracy patrol in the Indian Ocean.

Both Craven and Mr Churchill were ex Marines who had moved on to work in the security industry. Mr Churchill, 29, was formerly based at Bickleigh Barracks, Plymouth but is now a close protection bodyguard.

Craven had worked abroad before becoming a security contractor. He had worked for the Avon and Somerset police as a dog handler and in their custody suite and at the time he was working pub and club doors in Torbay and helping guard the railway rebuilding work in Dawlish.

Walters worked with him and on the night of the attack they were both wearing all black uniforms which led one witness to mistake them for policemen.

Craven, 34, of Woodbury, Devon, and Walters, 37, of Exmouth, both denied causing actual bodily harm but were found guilty when a jury at Exeter Crown Court rejected their pleas of self defence.

Recorder Mr John Williams adjourned sentence until next week but told them both they were going to jail. He allowed them bail so Craven can find new homes for his two police dogs.

He said:"A prison sentence is inevitable in both cases. I am at the moment quite clear in my view this was a planned attack which was carried out purposefully because of the background of the marriage.

"It would have continued but for the intervention of Mrs Worley and I need to consider if it falls outside the normal sentencing guidelines."

During the trial the prosecution said the two men planned the attack in July last year and both kicked Mr Churchill in the head as he lay defenceless in the pub car park. He was left with severe facial bruising but no fractures.

Craven said he was the true victim of the assault and had been run off the road and rammed by Mr Churchill. Walters said it was pure coincidence he was passing and was able to come to him friend's assistance.