A POLICEMAN who was disciplined after hitting a young mother in the face was up before his bosses again yesterday - to get a good conduct award.

Traffic Officer Andy Langford, who is based in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was one of a number of officers presented with long service and good conduct awards by the county force.

But four years ago the Police Complaints Authority upheld a complaint from North-allerton woman Kelly Watts that she was hit only yards from her home.

She had been walking home with her mother when police were involved in a disturbance nearby.

"Suddenly, this figure came up from behind me and just whacked me across the face," she said at the time.

PC Langford appeared before magistrates in York in connection with the incident and agreed to be bound over to keep the peace for 12 months.

The then-chief constable apologised to Mrs Watts, a mother-of-two who was then 22, and the force paid her £1,500 compensation after a 20-month battle for justice.

An internal disciplinary investigation recommended that the officer should be given a written warning and allowed to remain on the force - a move that the Police Complaints Authority agreed with.

Yesterday, PC Langford was one of 15 officers and staff with the force who were presented with long service and good conduct medals by the present Chief Constable, Della Cannings.

Such awards are usually presented to those who have completed 23 years of service without ever seriously blotting their copybook.

In 2002, PC Langford won praise for his reactions when he was the first on the scene of a major pile-up on the Great North Road.

Yesterday, he declined to make any comment but the chief constable defended the decision to present him with the awards.

Ms Cannings said all the awards were made on her personal recommendation.

"This officer has made a valuable contribution to North Yorkshire Police and the public of North Yorkshire over many years," she said.

She added: "Since this incident, PC Langford has received a Chief Constable's Commendation for his work at a serious road accident on the A1."