OLYMPICS STUNTMAN JAILED FOR GBH
Gary Connery, aged 53, forcefully pushed his former partner down the staircase at their residence in Henley on October 24, 2020.This incident was triggered by a disagreement over who would turn off the lights and lock the gate.
The woman sustained a fractured shoulder and a laceration above her eye.
Connery, known for his career as a professional stunt performer including dressing in a shiny pink dress and wig for a royal impersonation during the 2012 Olympic opening ceremony where he parachuted from a helicopter was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Oxford Crown Court today for inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Judge Nigel Daly stated: "It is evident that the argument occurred late at night, with both of you drinking, and you lost your temper.
No matter her behaviour, she did not deserve to be thrown down the stairs.
Such an act, as I am convinced you did, can cause severely serious injuries, which in this case they did." He further noted the pre-sentence report from the probation service, highlighting that Connery showed no remorse or acceptance of fault.
During the hearing, Connery, dressed in a white shirt and a colourful striped tie, blinked repeatedly as the sentence was announced then looked toward the public gallery.
A restraining order was issued against him indefinitely, forbidding any contact with the victim.
In her victim impact statement, read aloud during the hearing, the woman expressed her desire for Connery to accept responsibility, noting that the assault had drastically changed her life.
She and her daughter had moved back to her parents’ home, with her elderly father having to drive her daughter to school twenty miles away.
She explained that her injuries—an upper humerus fracture and a superficial cut had required surgery, with additional operations possible in the future.
She took a year to recover from her broken bone, while the cut healed in three months.
The court had previously found Connery not guilty of wounding with intent but guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
During the five-day trial, witnesses recounted that the argument was about basic household duties, and the victim told paramedics she was pushed down the stairs, repeating this claim in her police statement two days later.
She later described a flashback involving her head being smashed against the banister before being pushed.
Judge Daly clarified that because the jury acquitted Connery of the more serious charge of wounding with intent, the sentence was based on pushing her downstairs without head injury.
The prosecution highlighted that alcohol played a role in the violence, which occurred within a domestic setting.
Representing Connery, solicitor Sarah O’Kane requested a suspended sentence, emphasising her client’s positive reputation among witnesses, who described him as someone approachable and helpful.
She characterised the incident as impulsive and brief, suggesting it was a spontaneous event.
Ms O’Kane also pointed out that Connery had maintained contact with the victim post-conviction, including a recorded conversation that raised questions about the necessity of the restraining order and her credibility.
The publicity from Connery’s case had negatively impacted his professional opportunities, with fewer calls and less work since the incident occurred.
