Army sergeant spared prison after sexually assaulting two Royal Marines
Sergeant Martin Leatherbarrow, 42, was spared prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting two junior Royal Marines at a military training centre in Wiltshire. The case has drawn attention to the sentence imposed despite a military judge describing his conduct as deliberate and unacceptable.
At a court martial, prosecutors said Leatherbarrow stroked a male Marine’s thigh towards his genitals and kissed his head, then grabbed a female Marine’s bottom and made an unwelcome remark. Both reported the incidents the next day; the man said he felt shocked and vulnerable, while the woman was seen crying. Leatherbarrow, who had served for more than 25 years, was given an 18-month service community order and 80 hours of unpaid work; the court heard he had PTSD and was drinking heavily after his marriage broke down.
- Army sergeant admitted assaulting two Royal Marines.
- He received an 18-month community order and unpaid work.
- The court heard he had PTSD and was drinking heavily.
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The Armed Forces have their own system of justice, in which serious offences by serving personnel can be heard at a court martial. A court martial can impose punishments under service law, including community orders and unpaid work.
Royal Marines are part of the Royal Navy, while an Army sergeant belongs to a separate service. In this case, the two Marines were junior to the sergeant, raising questions about conduct and responsibility within the military workplace. The case also highlights how courts weigh the circumstances of an offence and an offender when deciding a sentence.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A non-custodial sentence can be defended on the grounds that sentencing should consider the whole person and the circumstances behind the offending, including Leatherbarrow’s PTSD, heavy drinking and long service. The court may have judged that a community order and unpaid work could punish him while supporting rehabilitation and reducing the risk of further harm.
The case against
A prison sentence can be defended because the assaults were deliberate, involved two junior service members and caused evident distress, while the rank and training-centre setting may have heightened their vulnerability. A community order may be seen as insufficient to reflect the seriousness of the conduct, protect confidence in the armed forces’ response to sexual misconduct and deter similar abuse.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “British Army sergeant, 42, who stroked male colleague’s thigh before groping female marine at UK’s nuclear warfare training site is spared jail”.