A SERGEANT with the Royal Marines has been ordered to pay £1,000 for knocking a woman to the ground leading to her blacking out.

William Patten was in The Logie Baird bar last summer when a melee erupted and the woman's legs were kicked out from under her.

The 34-year-old previously pleaded guilty to pushing the woman on the body causing her to fall to her injury on July 9.

When Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard the facts of the case last week, Sheriff William Gallacher suggested they didn't match at all with what Patten told social workers ahead of the hearing.

Fiscal depute Ian Meacock told the court that around 1.35am there was a disturbance in the bar and pushing and shoving.

He said the victim attempted to get out of the way when Patten came into contact with her.

"Five minutes later," continued Mr Meacock, "he came past her and swiped her legs from behind her, effectively tripping her. She fell to the floor and hit the floor with her head. The impact caused her to momentarily lose consciousness.

"Police attended because of the large-scale disturbance. A number of people got involved in a scuffle."

The woman was kept in the RAH overnight as a precaution, but there was no lasting injury, added the prosecutor.

Patten's defence solicitor said her client felt someone pulling at his shirt and turned around and tried to get her out of the way.

Sheriff Gallacher said that was a "completely different kettle of fish" and asked to see the CCTV.

When the video was show in court later in the day, he said he was satisfied the incident happened within an ongoing disturbance.

Patten's lawyer said he was coming in trying to break up a fight when the woman came up to him "from nowhere".

She said: "He did feel her grabbing at his shirt. He didn't see who it was. He turned around to see who was approaching him in this way.

"He is extremely sorry. He has expressed remorse and is very concerned."

She said Patten, a father of two with 17 years service, had previous convictions but only one in the past six years.

The solicitor admitted: "They are for similar matters. He accepts when out drinking, this has happened. This is a real wake-up call. He is not going to put himself in this situation again."

She added the Royal Marines, including his commanding officer who was also in court, would discipline him separately.

Sheriff Gallacher said he expected the marines "to do something with the others involved" in the rammy, adding it "will not do" that the bars in Helensburgh are affected by such behaviour.

He said: "I think you were not fully in control of the good work you sought to do."

Fining Patten £750 and ordering him to pay £250 in compensation, he warned the same sentence would not be handed down if he appeared in court again.