TRAVEL NEWS

US Marshal charged in UK with entering a flight drunk after sexual assault accusations

A deputy U.S. Marshal has been charged in the United Kingdom after being accused of acting inappropriately during a Tuesday flight from New York to London, according to London police.

Michael Brereton, 39, was charged with entering the aircraft while drunk, Metropolitan Police Service spokesperson Josh Coupe told USA TODAY Thursday.

He was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of sexual assault, but Coupe said there will be no further action in regard to this allegation.

Brereton is scheduled to appear at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Friday. The U.S. Marshal Service confirmed it was aware of the incident, but did not comment further on the charge or further disciplinary action against Brereton. It provided the following statement to USA TODAY Thursday and said it is cooperating with relevant agencies on the investigation:

"The U.S. Marshals Service takes seriously any allegations of misconduct by its employees. The alleged actions of the employees do not reflect the professionalism of the thousands of employees of the USMS or its core values."

Two U.S. Marshals detained in London after unruly behavior during flight

Two marshals were flying on Delta Flight 1 from JFK to Heathrow to extradite a U.S. criminal when a woman complained to flight crew that she had been inappropriately touched, NBC first reported.

The London police originally told NBC the marshal had "sexually assaulted other passengers and crew." The second marshal was briefly detained before being sent back to the U.S., the Associated Press reported.

Delta confirmed with USA TODAY in a statement Thursday there was "unruly passenger behavior" on the flight. The airline also said the plane was met by local law enforcement upon landing and it is cooperating with the investigation.

The two marshals had been drinking during the flight, NBC and AP reported.

In a statement shared with NBC, the U.S. Marshals Service confirmed an officer "exhibited inappropriate behavior while intoxicated on an inbound flight."

According to NBC, Brereton is a marshal assigned to the Eastern District of New York.

USA TODAY investigation:US marshals act like local police, but with more violence and less accountability