Exposed: Prince Harry’s guard throttled wife during terrifying assault

The couple, who made private security arrangements for their trip to the UK, were photographed being driven by Pere Daobry.

Daobry, a former Metropolitan Police firearms officer, was convicted of assault in 2016 for attacking his then wife, but was spared jail after the court was told he had phoned 999 himself.

He is now believed to be working for a private security firm, and was photographed in the Sussexes’ car alongside their long-standing protection officer.

The Duke and Duchess have not yet responded to a request for comment on the matter.

The duchess has been a vocal advocate for women’s rights, speaking out about the “crisis state” of gender-based violence while on her 2019 visit to South Africa.

When they were photographed with Daobry, they were on their way to the One Young World summit in Manchester, UK, where gender equality was one of the key topics on the agenda.

Mr Daobry’s father yesterday confirmed his 51-year-old son was the man photographed working as a personal bodyguard for the Sussexes.

Speaking at his family home in Edmonton, north London, Mr Daobry Sr, said: “Yes, that is my son in the photographs with Harry and Meghan but I don’t want to make any comment about his job.

"He is a grown man with four children and can speak for himself.”

He refused to comment on his son’s conviction for domestic violence and whether it was appropriate for him to be working for the Duchess of Sussex, given her strong support for victims of violence and women’s rights.

“Why should I comment? Ask him. I have nothing to say,” he said.

The bodyguard was one of several employed to protect the Duke and Duchess of Sussex during their trip to the UK and Germany. The duke is currently embroiled in a dispute with the Home Office over whether his family should qualify for Met Police protection whenever they are in the UK.

This summer, he won the right to challenge in court the government’s decision not to grant him automatic police protection.

During the couple’s visit to Europe, which was supposed to last four days but was extended after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, they used private protection to attend an event in Manchester and during a one-day trip to the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf.

Daobry was photographed driving them from their Frogmore Cottage home at Windsor to London Euston station.

In September 2016, Daobry was convicted at Colchester Magistrates Court of assault for attacking his wife, Sarah Jay.

Ms Jay, a former Essex Police sergeant, had endured a minute-long attack in which he strangled her with both hands after she told him she no longer loved him, according to court reports at the time.

He was given a 12-week suspended sentence.

The chair of the magistrates’ court bench called the attack a “very unpleasant assault on Mrs Jay” which left her “clearly terrified”, but added Daobry had the “decency” to ring 999 afterwards.