Drunken RAF officer shot after being caught with a loaded gun on King’s birthday

An RAF officer has been sacked after he was caught drunk with a loaded gun at a party celebrating the King’s 75th birthday.

Flight Lieutenant Gregory Gomez, 32, had been seen drinking gin and tonics from a pint glass at a British embassy when guards stopped him as he tried to leave in his car.

Guards were called after staff noticed his “eyes were glassy” and that the soldier appeared to be carrying the loaded weapon.

In sentencing the officer, a judge’s representative warned him that even a young airman should know the dangers of mixing alcohol with “deadly” weapons, saying his actions posed a “serious risk” to the people him.

On Friday, the flight lieutenant was dismissed from the air force and given a suspended sentence and a nine-month driving ban.

Senior prosecutor Matthew Rees told Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire that the incident took place on July 5 this year.

Around 11 p.m., Fl. Lt. Gomez was leaving the embassy in his car – the location of which has not been disclosed for legal reasons – when he was stopped by “citizen security personnel.”

Cdr. Rees said the RAF officer’s “eyes were glassy” and he appeared drunk.

The prosecutor continued: “Staff then asked him if he was in possession of a firearm. He said that wasn’t the case.

“Air Lieutenant Gomez parked his vehicle and waited at the main entrance for the OC (commander) to arrive.”

Cdr. Rees said when the flight lieutenant’s OC arrived, he noticed he was “slurping” his words and smelled of alcohol.

He added: “The officer took his bag from him and discovered his weapon was loaded but not operational.

“The suspect was returned to Britain the following day.”

The commander drove the flight lieutenant back to his home and the court heard he “could not walk straight”.

Flt Lt Gomez – who served at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire – was interviewed after the event and he told his superiors that he had “drank three bottles of beer and a few G&Ts”.

Cdr. Rees added: “He had been drinking the G&Ts from a pint glass. He apologized for his behavior.”

Fiona Edington, representing the RAF officer, said Flt Lt Gomez “regretted” his actions and had since been “determined to right the wrong”.

She asked the court to take into account the nine years of service of Flt. RAF Lieutenant Gomez urged the judge to avoid a prison sentence as the prison system is currently “extremely overcrowded”.

Sentencing the RAF officer, judge barrister Darren Reed said: “You knew you were drunk and you still chose to drive, and with a deadly weapon.”

“Owning a firearm is a serious responsibility that requires strict compliance with given orders.

“Even the youngest and most inexperienced soldiers know that alcohol is incompatible with the use of lethal weapons.

“By your actions you have created a serious danger to others by driving under the influence of alcohol and wielding a dangerous weapon.”

After pleading guilty to two counts of breaching standard orders, Flt Lt Gomez was discharged from the air force.

He was also sentenced to nine months in prison, suspended for 12 months and disqualified from driving for nine months.

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