Parliamentary assistant punched his male partner to the ground at a staff party at the House of Commons, court hears
- Lloyd Ross hit Tommy Gilchrist in the face twice on a terrace at Westminster
- Ross was convicted of assault by beating at Westminster Magistrates’ Court
- Court heard Ross had been under ‘immense pressure’ at the time of the incident
Lloyd Ross (pictured above) punched his partner to the ground after they argued at a party in October
A parliamentary assistant who punched his male partner to the ground at a staff party at the House of Commons had been ‘under immense pressure’, a court heard.
Lloyd Ross hit Tommy Gilchrist in the face twice on a terrace at Westminster on October 16.
The 24-year-old, who is still in a relationship with fellow parliamentary assistant Mr Gilchrist, has since resigned from his job, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard.
Prosecutor Matthew Barrowcliffe said the couple were at a party when the conversation got heated, which resulted in Ross being violent towards his partner.
‘They had an argument so Mr Ross punched Mr Gilchrist twice in the face.
‘I understand the two are still in a relationship, in fact Mr Gilchrist hasn’t supported the prosecution in this case.’
District judge Richard Blake said Ross had immediately felt he made his employment untenable and ‘immediately resigned’.
Christina Josephides, defending, replied: ‘Mr Ross resigned, but also I have set out he certainly did send a lengthy email setting out his shame, regret and apologising for tainting his work environment in that way.’
Mr Ross is said to still be in a relationship with Mr Gilchrist (pictured above) despite him punching him in the face
The court heard that Ross had at the time been under pressure because of a family situation.
Ms Josephides said: ‘The events in his personal life that had affected his family had undermined his faith and trust in people around him.’
‘Mr Ross accepts that he has made an awful, awful mistake and he has stained his otherwise impeccable record.
‘He very much feels that as a result of this incident he has essentially ruined all of the good work he has been building up.’
The incident happened at the House of Commons (pictured above) in October
Judge Blake told Ross: ‘People in relationships on occasion fall out, but on this occasion, you fell out and resorted to violence in a very public place, which was inevitably witnessed by others and inevitably it would bring to end your employment and the reputation you have established.’
‘You warned him you would hit him.
‘That caused the officer to become interested.
‘And then you punched him not once but twice,’ the magistrate added.
‘You brought, with those two punches, your career in the House of Commons to an end.’
Ross who lives in Southwark, denied but was convicted of assault by beating.