Apprentice 2014: Contestant James Hill outed as convicted criminal

The 27-year-old candidate was convicted of assault five years ago

The Apprentice candidate James Hill (BBC)

The Apprentice contestant James Hill has a criminal record after being convicted of assault.

The 27-year-old candidate, hoping to win a £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar, was involved in two brawls with other men, The Sun reported.

One victim told the newspaper that Hill assaulted him after he spoke to his girlfriend back in 2008.

It is claimed that four months later Hill bit another man’s ear on Christmas Eve.

He was arrested and appeared before JPs in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, in March 2009 under his full name Anthony James Hill.

Hill admitted carrying out the two assaults and received an six month jail sentence suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to pay a total of £500 compensation to his victims and £755 in costs.

A spokesperson for The Apprentice told The Independent: “It is a spent conviction under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore James was eligible to apply for the programme.”

A spokesperson for James Hill said: “James is not proud of what happened, he was young and irresponsible and very much regrets and has learned from his actions.”