A POLICE officer's career could be in jeopardy after his conviction yesterday for assault while helping to make an arrest at a taxi rank.

District Judge Stephen Earl said a custodial sentence could also be a realistic prospect for PC Andrew Davison after finding him guilty of common assault.

He ruled that PC Davison used excessive force as he and colleagues tried to subdue and arrest a man following a dispute in a taxi queue.

The judge gave his verdict at the end of a two-day trial at Durham Magistrates' Court, in which various police officers and witnesses gave evidence.

It followed an incident at a taxi rank in North Road, Durham City, in the early hours of last November 26.

PC Davison was among officers summoned to help PC Colin Goodchild, who was struggling to arrest a man alleged to have been involved in the dispute.

PC Davison was accused of punching and kicking the 35-year-old man, before the officers were able to handcuff him and take him to Durham police station.

The arrested man, 35-year-old Thomas Scott Robertson, of Fife, in Scotland, a mining engineer, was on a night out in Durham while working on a contract with Northumbrian Water, at Langley Moor.

He was subsequently fined £125 by North Durham magistrates for resisting arrest by PC Goodchild, and for being drunk and disorderly.

He was also ordered to pay £35 compensation to PC Goodchild and £35 costs.

Mr Robertson said he suffered an injured arm and a number of bruises to his body during the incident.

Images of the arrest were captured by the city centre's closed-circuit television (CCTV) network.

Action against PC Davison was taken following a complaint by two civilians monitoring CCTV footage, who felt he used excessive force completing the arrest.

They reported it to their supervisor and he, in turn, passed the complaint to police.

PC Davison, 31, denied assault, saying he felt he took the necessary action to subdue Mr Robertson, who was struggling violently.

But, following the trial, and after viewing the CCTV footage, the district judge recorded his guilty verdict.

He said: "It causes me considerable difficulty as you are a police officer acting in the execution of your duty.

"But I'm satisfied the force you used on Mr Robertson was excessive."

Adjourning for preparation of pre-sentence reports on PC Davison, Judge Earl added: "I have given a great deal of thought to this, but custody must be a realistic prospect."

He bailed PC Davison to return for sentence at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court, on December 9.

A force spokesman said last night that PC Davison, who was based in Durham City, has remained suspended since shortly after the incident.