Former Buckingham Palace guard with PTSD avoids jail after violent bust-up with girlfriend

An ex-soldier who suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a hand grenade exploded close to him has been spared jail by a judge in Preston following a violent bust up with his girlfriend.

Former Scots Guardsman Tom Scaife pleaded guilty to witness intimidation, assault, possessing a knife in a public place and criminal damage when he appeared for sentence at the city’s Crown Court.

But, after hearing the 39-year-old had been suffering from mental health issues at the time following his service in the Army, Recorder Mark Ainsworth decided to step back from sending him straight to jail and handed him a suspended sentence instead.

The court was told Scaife, who had spent time guarding Buckingham Palace during his seven years in the forces, was arrested by police after shouting threats outside his ex-partner's house in Stockbridge Road, Padiham on June 7.

The couple had been in a relationship and Scaife tried to force his way into the property where she was with another man. He then produced a butter knife with a broken blade and waved it through the letter box.

Three days later, the woman was at home when Scaife again became verbally aggressive.

She told him to leave the house, but he returned later banging on the window.

Almost a month later he turned up at a house in Hapton Street, Padiham where the other man lived, went in through the front door and then slapped him twice round the head, causing a small cut to his right eye.

It was claimed he was trying to intimidate the man into withdrawing a statement he had given to police about the incident on June 7. He also caused damage costing £50 to a wheelie bin outside the property.

The court was told Scaife’s criminal record contained 21 previous offences including a community order for a drugs offence in May 2024.

Barrister Lawrence Rainford, defending, said his client had already served 42 days in custody awaiting the sentencing hearing. He argued that although his latest offences had crossed the custody threshold it was a case where the court could impose a suspended sentence instead.

He said the man he had slapped had been a close friend in the past.

The PTSD had arisen, he said, from an incident in the Army when a grenade detonated close to him. Scaife left the forces in 2018 because of his mental health issues which worsened when he saw the war in Ukraine unfold on television.

Mr Rainford said there had been a number of traumatic incidents in his life which had caused “emotional instability and poor emotional regulation” and had led to him mistrusting people and acting rashly in certain situations.

Scaife had also had problems with alcohol misuse. Between the two sets of offences he admitted he had attempted to take his own life, something which had also happened previous to and since the incidents.

Since he had been on remand in prison his “negative and suicidal thoughts” had reduced and he seemed to be dealing with his mental health better.

Mr Rainford added: “He is ashamed of the offences (he committed). They were driven as a result of his alcohol misuse and mental health issues.”

Recorder Ainsworth told Scaife, of Hambleton Street, Padiham: “Your previous convictions tell a story. (But) I am not sentencing you (today) on what has happened historically.

“You are not the only former member of the forces who has come before these courts suffering from mental health difficulties.

“Sometimes with overseas tours and active service you can understand the impact on them. But in your case it is a bit more complex.

“You didn’t see active service. You had the honour of serving at Buckingham Palace and in Canada, but there was an event which I understand must have been distressing.

“You complain that you have been suffering from mental health difficulties since you left the Army. But that doesn’t excuse or justify the events that took place in June and July.

“In normal circumstances some who comes before the court for witness intimidation should expect to go straight to prison. But this case is a little bit different.

“Whilst there must be a sentence in prison it is clear you were in a very difficult place. And looking back your arrest and remand in custody has done you a favour.

“You are a very different man today than the man I would have seen in June and July.” He said witness intimidation was by far the most serious offence.

“You go to his house and assault him to try and stop him making a complaint about what happened on June 10. That is witness intimidation.

“When there is a witness in a criminal complaint, if you are guilty of intimidation then the court takes it very seriously. That’s why a sentence in prison must follow.

“In other circumstances these events would have meant immediate prison. But I have to think of wider issues.”

He sentenced Scaife to a total of 22 months in prison suspended for 18 months. In addition he ordered him to attend up to 40 rehabilitation activity days, he will spend 120 days on an alcohol abstinence monitor and he has been ordered to reside at an address agreed by the probation service.

He added: “What happens now is really in your hands. I sincerely hope we don’t see you again. If we do it is probable you will go straight back to prison.”