A DRUNK man punched the Worcester police officer who was trying to help him, cracking his teeth and causing a concussion.

Drunken reveller Dennis Trevis suffered a 'head injury' after being thrown out of The Flag in Lowesmoor in Worcester. Trevis told police he had been assaulted by door staff before punching the officer who offered to help him get home or to a hospital. The 45-year-old admitted assaulting an emergency worker but was spared jail at Worcester Crown Court on Friday after punching PC Andrew Wood in the face on November 23 last year, catching him 'off guard'.

PC Wood had asked Trevis if he wanted to be taken to hospital or home but the defendant refused, asking what was going to happen about the assault he had suffered. Shannon O'Connor, prosecuting, said Trevis accused the officer of 'smirking at him' which was not the case.

As the officer turned to see if anyone was 'smirking' at the defendant, Trevis punched him in the jaw which caused 'bleeding from his mouth', 'significant pain and swelling', a broken tooth and a strained neck. He was later diagnosed with a concussion and nerve damage to his teeth. The PC has required dental treatment including root canals and pain medication. He has also had to attend his doctor’s surgery and the hospital and still requires further treatment, costing up to £3,500 of dental work.

He has been told he will still be likely to lose two of his teeth because of damage to the nerves and has suffered mouth ulcers.

The officer said in a victim personal statement he was glad other officers were present to assist him and ‘stop further injury’. “I feel more on edge when I deal with people drinking” he said.

He revealed he had been assaulted before but in terms of his injuries this was ‘a massive escalation’.

Sam Lamsdale, defending, said the offence was out of character and that Trevis was not used to drinking and 'quickly became inebriated and has virtually no recollection of this incident'.

"He recalls enjoying himself and singing. It's perhaps for that the door staff - he's a largely built man - decided he should not be dancing around and asked him to leave.

"There was a further difference of opinion with the doorman and he's thrown to the floor and cut the back of his head open," she said.

Mrs Lamsdale said the officer had been explaining to Trevis that no action would be taken against the doorman that night when the defendant's partner, who is from Worcester, said: "Look at him - he's smirking."

The defendant then said to the officer 'what are you smirking at?' He replied: "I'm not smirking at you."

When the officer turned to see if the doormen were smirking, Trevis delivered the punch.

Mrs Lamsdale said and the defendant, a laser operator, had an 83-year-old mother who had advanced dementia and had suffered falls which had meant she had been taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

Judge James Burbidge QC said it was 'disheartening' to see a man of Trevis' s age with only one previous conviction before a court. He said it had been the defendant's misunderstanding of an officer who 'had tried to help you' and was 'acting nothing but professionally'.

The judge sentenced Trevis of Washwood Heath Road, Birmingham, to six months in prison suspended for 18 months and placed him on an electronically monitored curfew for three months between 7pm and 5am.

He ordered him to pay £3,000 compensation to the officer.