After he provoked a fight in Chinese take-out, a senior engineer with the Royal Navy was arrested.

Petty Officer Kris Cullerton hit colleague Zeek Bowen inside a Chinese takeaway after he was told his choice of a £7 vermicelli was ‘a bit heavy after a night out’, a court martial heard.

The Air Engineering Technician (AET) told a military court he ended up with a bloody nose and swollen lip after his superior became ‘aggressive’ towards him and his colleague Shaun Bush.

AET Bowen said PO Cullerton called him a ‘smart arse’ and hit him, leaving his lip swollen and the facemask he was wearing ‘drenched’ in blood.

He denied physical contact, however, he was found guilty for one charge of battery.

PO Cullerton now faces 90 days in military custody where a judge said he must address his ‘easy resort to violence’ and ‘relationship with alcohol’.

Petty Officer Kris Cullerton (pictured) faces 90 days in military custody after he hit his colleague Zeek Bowen, who told him his choice of a £7 vermicelli was ‘a bit heavy after a night out’, a court martial heard

Petty Officer Kris Cullerton (pictured) faces 90 days in military custody after he hit his colleague Zeek Bowen, who told him his choice of a £7 vermicelli was ‘a bit heavy after a night out’, a court martial heard

Bulford Military Court in Wiltshire heard that he had five prior convictions. Two of them were for ABH, three of battery, and one was for pushing a bartender in a nightclub.

Although he retains his rank of Petty Officer, the judge warned it acts as an ‘incentive’ to ‘prove that he can live up to his rank’ and he faces a ‘severe reprimand’ if he comes before the court again.

According to the trial, the sailors went to the Bull pub and Dolphin Inn in Ilchester, Somerset on October 2, last year while they were stationed at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton (also known as HMS Heron).

The court was told PO Cullerton – a Senior Air Engineering Technician – drank up to eight pints of beer and admitted he was ‘drunk’ when he went to the nearby Chinese takeaway, the Peking Chef.

AET Bowen & AET Bush were there already, waiting to receive their orders.

A military court heard AET Bowen made a comment about PO Cullerton's choice of food at Peking Chef (pictured), in Ilchester, before PO Cullerton 'whacked' him in the face

A military court heard AET Bowen make a comment on PO Cullerton’s choices of food at Peking Chef, in Ilchester. This was before PO Cullerton allegedly ‘whacked him in the face’.

After AET Bowen made the comment about PO Cullerton’s choice of food, the senior sailor began ‘screaming in his face’ and ‘whacked’ his friend in the face, the court was told.

AET Bush said to the court, “He was grumbling and uneasy. I couldn’t understand what he was trying to say, so he started shouting at me. It was a shock.

“It seemed like an open hand whack on the face.”

After he had finished eating his noodles, PO Cullerton (a Sunderland man and father) was taken to court.

After returning to base, the young engineers made a complaint to the Royal Navy’s police force and PO Cullerton was interviewed and he claimed only a verbal disagreement had happened in the takeaway.

According to the court martial, PO Cullerton, who has been in this business for more than 14 years had then confronted the sailors. Three battery allegations relating thereto were not brought against him.

At Bulford Military Court, PO Cullerton was handed 90 days in military custody which he will spend in the military corrective training centre and he must pay AET Bowen £250.

At Bulford Military Court, PO Cullerton was handed 90 days in military custody which he will spend in the military corrective training centre and he must pay AET Bowen £250.

Judge Jane England sentenced him and said, “You overreacted to a comment made by one of the men.”

“You shouted and cursed before striking him with enough force to cause a bloody nose and fat lips.

“You have to learn that if you drink it causes you to lose your temper it’s not your first occasion.

“In 2018, you received a suspended sentence of 28 days for nine months, but it hasn’t had any effect on you since you’re here again.

Judge England told PO Cullerton it was significant that AET Bowen was struck by someone ‘senior’ who he should ‘look up to’.

PO Cullerton was handed 90 days in military custody which he will spend in the military corrective training centre and he must pay AET Bowen £250.