The Royal Navy sailors who caused over $7,000 worth of damage to cars and bikes in a drunken spree last weekend, will have to wait before they find out if they are to be court martialled or not.

If court martialled they could be forced to leave the service.

Royal Navy lawyer, Lt. Cdr. Bob Gray, in Bermuda to look into the incident said yesterday the offenders would, "be dealt with robustly,'' nonetheless.

"I have been to see the Premier and apologise once again, to the people of Bermuda, on behalf of the Royal Navy.

"The Navy takes a dim view of this sort of behaviour, especially as it strains the service's strong bonds of friendship with the Bermudian people,'' Lt. Cdr. Gray said.

The officer came out to Bermuda following the arrest of four Navy sailors who went on a rampage in a pub parking lot in Hamilton.

Two of the young sailors pushed over three bikes, poured oil on two cars and jumped on the roofs of two other vehicles while two others laughed and took photographs.

According to Lt. Cdr. Gray, who spent part of yesterday reviewing the Police Department's files on the case, the offenders could be tried in one of two ways.

"They may be tried as Captain's Defaulters,'' he explained. "This is a court held on the ship. In the event of a guilty plea or guilty verdict, the Captain would exercise his considerable powers to punish them. "However, in more serious cases, a court martial is convened. "Courts martial are held in mainland Britain, and their powers for deciding punishment are more extensive.'' If court martialled, the sailors could be discharged from the Navy, a possibility that Lt. Cdr. Gray would not rule out yesterday.

"I cannot prejudge what any tribunal might do to them,'' he said. "And I cannot say at this point whether they will be court martialled or not.'' According to the Lt. Cdr., the two sailors who actually caused the damage were likely to be dealt with more stiffly than their colleagues -- one of whom he described as, "a passive by-stander.'' The sailors, who are serving on HMS London , came to Bermuda last week as part of a seven nation NATO force visiting the island. Of the 1,500 Navy personnel here at the time, they were the only ones to get in trouble.

The sailors have volunteered to pay for the damage they have caused -- a gesture that might go some way to lightening the burden of punishment they will ultimately face.

"The amount for damages has not been finalised,'' Lt. Cdr. Gray said, "but I can say it is somewhere in the region of seven and a half thousand dollars.

"Their gesture will be taken in to account when punishment is decided, just as an expression of regret would be noted by an ordinary court when sentencing criminals,'' he said.

FACT-FINDING -- Lt. Cdr. Bob Gray (left) speaks to Bermuda's Sgt. Tracy Adams (centre) and P.c. David Abraham.