A POLICE officer's future in the force is in jeopardy after his conviction for punching a woman while off-duty in a nightclub.

Terrence Ottaway was accused of "drunken yobbery" after a court heard he landed the blow to the face of a 22-year-old woman who intervened to help a friend being "pestered" by him on the dancefloor.

Ottaway, from Chester-le-Street, who was variously described as "drunk", "very drunk" and, "off his face", by witnesses, denied assault by beating. But after convicting him, on "overwhelming evidence", District Judge Vincent McDade ordered Ottaway to pay the victim £350 compensation, and to pay £350 prosecution costs.

He also gave him a three-month electronic tag and curfew order, during which he must be at home between 8pm and 6am.

It followed a two-day trial at Durham Magistrates' Court.

The 30-year-old Northumbria Police constable said he went to the club, Beach, in Sunderland, after a shift at the city's Farringdon station, on July 21, last year.

He said he must have been misidentified because he was not involved in any such incident on the dancefloor, and said he was assaulted then ejected from the premises, in Albion Place.

But, after convicting him, District Judge McDade told Ottaway: "To be frank, the evidence in this case is absolutely overwhelming.

"At the time, there was a campaign being run by the police called The Party's Over, in an attempt to stop violence and drunkenness.

"Yet your behaviour was no more or less than the drunken yobbery that is all too prevalent among certain elements of the community.

"As a serving police officer, your behaviour fell far below that required by the community, as someone charged with upholding the law."

The judge said he took account of the fact Ottaway has no previous convictions.

He said: "I am also aware that the consequences of the outcome to you will be grave in terms of the likely loss of your job."

On his conviction, Ottaway's solicitor, Geoffrey Forrester, said he would appeal.

Mr Forrester's request that the curfew order should not begin until the outcome of the appeal was rejected.

Asked about Ottaway's future, a police spokeswoman said last night: "He has been suspended since the incident.

"Once the case is finalised at court, a misconduct inquiry will be commenced."