Ex-polo pro cleared of causing GBH at Oxfordshire's Soho Farmhouse

Dad-of-two Charlie Wooldridge, 32, admitted punching the man once in the face at Soho Farmhouse, near Chipping Norton, in January 2019 – but claimed it was a pre-emptive strike and he’d been acting in self-defence.

The complainant, who it was claimed had threatened Wooldridge, was left with a broken jaw.

Jurors at Oxford Crown Court took less than two hours to unanimously acquit the commercial director of causing grievous bodily harm.

However, allowing him to leave the dock, the judge gave Wooldridge, of Windlesham, Surrey, a stern warning.

Recorder John Hardy QC told the defendant, who has previous convictions for drink driving: “Drink and you do not go together, as you know. Stay out of trouble, Mr Wooldridge. You’ve got two young sons. They don’t want to visit you in [HMP] Bullingdon.”

Charlie Wooldridge outside Oxford Crown Court Picture: OXFORD MAIL PHOTOGRAPHER

During the trial, jurors heard how Wooldridge, a former professional polo player who joined the family multimillion pound demolition business after the death of his father in a helicopter crash, had been at exclusive Cotswolds retreat Soho Farmhouse on January 20, 2019, to celebrate a friend's birthday.

The group had enjoyed a late lunch and drank cocktails at another bar before moving on to eat supper.

In the early hours, Wooldridge and his friend Thomas Simkins had gone outside to the smoking area with another man they’d met that evening. The complainant, Edward Catling, was with the other man – and appeared to have a ‘problem’ with Wooldridge and his friend, it was claimed.

CCTV showed Mr Catling walking away from the group across a courtyard area, then turn as he reached the door to the toilets. He walked back to the group, was pushed by Wooldridge and shoved him back in return. He went to put down his beer but was struck in the jaw by the defendant.

The pair could then be seen squaring up to each other, with the defendant bouncing on his toes and – according to the prosecution – gesturing with his hands for Mr Catling to ‘come on’. The encounter, which was over in seconds, was broken up by a bouncer.

Soho Farmhouse, Great Tew 

Mr Simkins told jurors that Mr Catling had been ‘bringing the good energy down’. He’d said ‘p*** off’ as the complainant walked to the toilets. When the man returned, Mr Simkins told jurors he feared he’d be hurt.

Wooldridge said the man had been ‘in their faces’ and claimed Mr Catling had threatened him when he pushed him away. “He just felt aggressive. It felt like something was going to happen,” he told the jury. He said he was not drunk at the time.

Three days after the incident, the defendant WhatsApp messaged a director at Soho Farmhouse, taking responsibility for the fracas, asking after the complainant and expressing his hope that his friend would not lose his membership of the club.

The complainant, a six footer who was 13 stone at the time, told the court as he watched the footage that he had ‘not deserved’ the punch.

Closing the prosecution case, barrister James Batten suggested that Wooldridge ‘at some level wanted or encouraged or welcomed a physical confrontation’. The force used was ‘not necessary’.

Defending, Donal Lawler urged the jury to remember that the incident had lasted ‘five seconds’. Addressing why the complainant had put his drink down, he said: “You might think he was up for a scrap.”

Charlie Wooldridge outside Oxford Crown Court Picture: OXFORD MAIL PHOTOGRAPHER

Keep up to date with all the latest news on our website, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.

Have you got a story for us? Contact our newsdesk on news@nqo.com or 01865 425 445.