Prince William's shipmate guilty of assault: British sailor forced to apologise for fondling woman's bottom

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Petty Officer Steven Michael Wilson - who will soon be one of Prince William's shipmates aboard the HMS Iron Duke --looked close to tears as he was hauled before magistrates in Barbados.

The 31-year-old sailor had originally been charged with indecent assaulting married civilian Heidy Straughn as he and his shipmates enjoyed a crew outing to watch a Twenty20 cricket international between Australia and the West Indies at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown.

Apology: Petty Officer Steven Michael Wilson looked closed to tears as he was forced to apologise to Heidy Straughn for slapping and fondling her bottom

Wilson, who has been in the Royal Navy for 14 years, slapped and fondled her bottom during the crew's drinking session on Friday.

Wilson will soon be one of Prince William's shipmates aboard the HMS Iron Duke

But yesterday the court decided there was not enough evidence to support the indecent assault charge and the allegation was switched to a less serious one of common assault.

After pleading guilty, Wilson faced a tearful Mrs Straughn, who was standing in the witness box with her husband.

He said: 'If I've offended you I sincerely apologise. I'd had alcohol. Anything I did, I didn't mean to do.'

He was also fined £250 and faces being disciplined by the Navy and possible civil proceedings by Mrs Straughn.

Wilson was also given a telling off by magistrate Pamela Beckles and warned he must 'watch himself' in future.

The incident has cast a shadow over Prince William's arrival in the Caribbean.

Only 24 hours before Wilson's arrest, journalists were given a tour of the Iron Duke and briefed about the work the 26-year-old Prince will undertake.

His role, with 185 shipmates on the 4,900-ton warship, will be to board vessels suspected of trafficking cocaine.