A FORMER soldier who drunkenly attacked two people at a cashpoint in Weymouth was ‘haunted’ by his experiences serving in Afghanistan and Iraq, a court was told.

Joshua King, 26, was given a community order at Dorchester Crown Court for offences of causing grievous bodily harm and assault.

Jennie Rickman, prosecuting, told the court that the offences related to an incident at a cashpoint in Weymouth town centre at around 2am on the night of Saturday, March 24.

She said Joanne Mellon went to use the cashpoint and was unsure whether she had inadvertently pushed in front of the defendant in the queue.

Miss Rickman said King responded by ‘swiping’ his bank card across her cheeks and nose around four times.

He then punched Paul Goodman, who was standing behind them and had nothing to do with the incident or either Miss Mellon or the defendant.

Miss Rickman said: “He didn’t do anything or say anything to provoke the attack, he was standing in the queue minding his own business.” Mr Goodman, who suffered a broken nose as a result of the attack, saw King running off down a side alley immediately after throwing the punch.

Jeffrey Norie-Miller, representing King, said his client had served with the Royal Mechanical Engineers on the front line on two tours of Afghanistan and one tour of Iraq but had since left the army.

He said: “Like many soldiers on frontline operations, Mr King saw and experienced matters that he would rather not have. When he left the army those were matters which haunted him and he sought to escape those memories by his use of drink.”

Judge Roger Jarvis condemned King’s behaviour on the night in question, particularly as it involved an unprovoked attack in a public place.

However, the judge also praised the contribution soldiers like King had made to their country and acknowledged the impact it had on him.

King, of Priory Court, Harlow, Essex, was sentenced to a two-year community order with a requirement to attend an aggression replacement training programme. He was also ordered to pay £750 in compensation to Mr Goodman and £75 to Miss Mellon.