24-year-old soldier cleared of hitting and racially insulting a private

A court martial heard that a female soldier attacked and racially disparaged a male comrade who was attempting to assist her after she violently puked in another man’s bed during a drunken party.

According to testimony given at the tribunal conducted at Tidworth Barracks in Wiltshire, Private Jemma Darker “swung for” Private Jameel Mills and struck him in the face when he was attempting to clear up a “mountain” of her vomit after a Jagerbomb-fueled drinking binge.

According to reports, the 24-year-old instructed the mixed-race soldier to “stay away” from her and called him a “filthy P***.”

Pte. Darker informed military authorities at the time that she had been smacked by someone in her sleep, which drove her to lash out in anger, but she denies racially insulting anybody.

The two soldiers had been drinking with another coworker, Private Samuel Maye, in December 2021 at St David’s Barracks near Bicester, Oxfordshire, before a party, the court martial was informed.

The party was held the day before the majority of troops left for Christmas vacation, the court was informed.

The court was informed that Darker had been discussing going on dates with Private Maye, who was attempting to “hit her up.”

She projectile puked and left a “mountain of sick” in his bed as the two were “doing Jägerbombs” together at the block party, the court heard.

According to testimony given during the court martial, Darker had known Private Maye since their phase two training eight months before but had never met Mills.

Major James Eveleigh, the prosecutor, stated: “[The defendant] attended a block party at her residence where she met Private Maye who had been drinking.

They returned to his room, where she was to spend the night.

‘

She was feeling sick and was throwing up all over the place.

Private Maye phoned Mills and requested him to come to the room to watch over Private Darker, according to the report.

According to testimony given in court, Private Mills brought Darker a pail and used a towel to clean up her vomit when he got there.

Darker woke up and attempted to attack Private Mills as he was cleaning up the vomit, the court heard.

The defendant sprang up and attempted to strike the man twice, according to Major Eveleigh.

One strike missed, and the next one impacted his jaw.

Darker said, “Get away from me, you dirty P***,” at that point.

According to testimony given in court, Darker contacted her senior officer after the encounter to report that she had been struck while she was sleeping.

She was questioned by military police the next day, who ultimately chose to file charges against her for the assault.

According to Private Mills, who testified in court, “[Maye] called me and stated that she was vomiting up in his room and needed some assistance cleaning it up.”

She was dozing off on the bed. She asked me, “What’s that disgusting p*** doing in my room?” while I was cleaning the vomit up.

She twice struck out at me. the second one struck me in the face while the first one missed.

Private Mills said, “I’m a mixed racial person, so I’ve had this all my life.”

Darker stated in a police interview taken the day after the event, which was read in court, that she had felt a “severe slap” from someone she thought had been Pte Mills.

Darker rejects both the charge of battery and the charge of racially aggravated battery.

The trial goes on.