RAF MILDENHALL, England — An Air Force policeman who beat his pregnant wife in the face and kicked her in the abdomen was reduced in rank by one grade and forfeited $1,000 of pay for one month after pleading guilty during a summary court-martial last week at RAF Mildenhall.
Staff Sgt. Courtney Robinson, 30, of the 100th Security Forces Squadron, was charged with assault consummated by battery, said Capt. Anthony Spratley, the assistant staff judge advocate.
“He hit his wife in the face multiple times. He struck her with his hand,” Spratley said.
Robinson also kicked her in the abdomen. At the time, she was more than eight months pregnant. Spratley said the baby was unharmed, but the wife suffered bruises on her face and abdomen from the attack, which took place at their home Dec. 3, 2004.
Spratley said a summary court-martial is used for crimes considered less severe than those sent to special or general courts-martial.
Robinson’s case was heard not by a judge, but by a line officer chosen by the wing commander, in this case a lieutenant colonel.
The summary court-martial prevents a person of Robinson’s rank from being confined or reduced by more than one rank. Limits are also put on the amount of pay that can be forfeited.
In a second summary court-martial, held the same day and heard by the same officer, another 100th Security Forces Squadron member admitted using marijuana and trying to cover up a random urinalysis test.
Senior Airman Montrell Cannon, 24, was reduced in rank to airman basic. His unit plans unspecified administrative action, as well, Spratley said.
Cannon admitted using bleach to cover up a random urinalysis test. When he was confronted, he submitted to a second test, which showed positive for marijuana.
He was charged with dereliction of duty for fouling the initial test.
