Marine faces assaults probe

The team's exploits won international recognition

A Royal Marine who hit the headlines when he and a colleague walked unaided to the North Pole has returned to Britain to face an inquiry over assault convictions.

Charlie Paton, 30, from Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, and Corporal Alan Chambers, from Scunthorpe, had completed an historic 700 mile, 70 day trek last week.

He flew back to Heathrow Airport on Monday, accompanied by Corporal Chambers, 31, and Corporal Paul Jones, 27, from west Wales, who was flown off the ice with frostbite after 36 days.

Charlie Paton: Convictions for assault

They and Corporal Jason Garland, 29, from Taunton, Somerset, who was airlifted at the same time and flown to the UK for treatment, were expected to give a news conference about their exploits on Tuesday.

However, it has emerged that Marine Paton appeared before Stonehaven Sheriff Court in February and admitted assaults on a club doorman and another man in the town on 2 January.

He was ordered to pay £500 compensation to the doorman and fined £200.

Royal Marines spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Kevin de Val, said a memorandum of conviction would be requested from the court.

If it was confirmed that Marine Paton had been involved in previously undisclosed assaults, he would appear before his commanding officer.

Good conduct

Lt Col de Val declined to say whether Marine Paton would have gone on the Polar expedition had the convictions been disclosed.

He said: "We will go into it, but not now. I do not want this to become the major story of their return."

He added Marine Paton had three good conduct badges.

Also expected to be at the news conference was Corporal Ian Warwick, the team's base camp manager, and their families.