A Royal Marines officer based at Clyde has been fined and ordered to pay compensation after he punched two civilians during a fight he dubbed a 'right royal rumble'.
Lieutenant Lee Webber had been drinking heavily when he attacked the two men in the corridor of a Royal Marines accommodation block after a passing out ceremony.
The 27-year-old is part of the Royal Marines Fleet Protection Group which is responsible for guarding nuclear submarines armed with Trident missiles and is based at HM Naval Base Clyde, Scotland.
Lt Webber's victims suffered bruising to their faces after he punched them both and pushed one against a wall.
A judge sentencing him told Lt Webber, of 43 Commando, he had set a 'lamentable example to his subordinates' and his behaviour fell well short of that expected of an officer.
Lt Webber was severely reprimanded and ordered to pay a £2,500 fine as well as £1,250 in compensation to his victims.
A court martial held at Tidworth Garrison, Wilts, heard that Lt Webber - who enlisted with the Marines in 2017 - was attending the passing out ceremony of a colleague held at the Commando training centre in Lympstone, Devon.
His two victims, Harry Miles and Rupert Lifely, were on their way to bed when Lt Webber passed Mr Miles in the corridor and thought something had been 'muttered,' the court was told.
Lt Webber, who had consumed a 'large amount of alcohol,' 'lost his temper' and punched him 'several times'.
When Mr Lifely became involved in the incident in December 2021, Lt Webber punched him 'twice behind the ear,' and pushed him against a wall.
Both men suffered bruising to the face, Mr Lifely sustained a 'lump the size of a 10p coin' to his head and Mr Miles suffered a black eye, the court heard.
When interviewed by military police after the incident, Lt Webber claimed that as he walked down the corridor he had to squeeze past a group of ten 'civvies' which resulted in a 'right royal rumble.'
Defending, Helen Easterbrook said Lt Webber had 'expressed remorse' for what he had done and that he was 'otherwise of impeccable character.'
She added: "He is sorry and wishes he could go back."
Sentencing, Judge Advocate Alistair McGrigor told Lt Webber he had 'lost his temper' and his conduct 'fell far short of that expected of a soldier let alone an officer'.
He said: "You punched Mr Miles several times and Mr Lifely was punched twice behind the ear.
"Your behaviour fell far short of that expected of a soldier let alone an officer.
"The civilians present would have been given an extremely dim view [of the Navy].
"You let down your superiors, and displayed a lamentable example to your subordinates."
Having pleaded guilty to two counts of battery, Lt Webber was severely reprimanded, fined and ordered to pay £750 in compensation to Mr Miles, and £500 in compensation to Mr Lifely.
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