A Chelsea Pensioner was today jailed for 12 months for sexually assaulting a young woman in his room.
Patrick Teegan, 72, was convicted at Isleworth Crown Court last month of assaulting the woman, in her 20s, in May last year.
Recorder Jonathan Davies at the same court told him: "There is no other way of dealing with this case than by immediate custodial sentence, I don't consider that that should be suspended."
The judge said he took account of Teegan's previous exemplary character and the loss of his status as a Chelsea Pensioner.
"But the court cannot ignore the fact that you took sexual advantage of this young woman, and this crosses the custody threshold."
The judge said that when the offence took place Teegan was a Chelsea Pensioner - "a prestigious position which commands public respect".
On the last day of the Chelsea Flower Show, he went to the bar at the Hospital having earlier attended the closing ceremony of the show.