A MAN whose life sentence for murdering a police officer was quashed in a landmark miscarriage of justice case revealed his torment yesterday.

Durham Crown Court heard how Philip English, 28, had suffered years of harassment since he was cleared of the 1993 murder of Sergeant Bill Forth.

Mr English, then aged 16, was convicted of the killing of Sgt Forth, in Sunniside, Gateshead, even though another officer had him under arrest 100 yards away when Paul Weddle stabbed the officer to death.

He was found guilty under the law of joint enterprise, but was freed in 1997 when the Court of Appeal overturned the conviction.

Yesterday, Mr English, of Broomhill, Stanley, was placed on a 12-month community rehabilitation order after admitting affray at a County Durham public house.

Appearing in the dock alongside Mr English was his father, Gary English, 47, of Wylam Road, Stanley, County Durham, who pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct.

Caroline Goodwin, prosecuting, told the court the men were walking past the Royal Hotel, in Stanley, when an altercation was started by doormen, during which Gary was hit.

About ten minutes later, the two men returned to the pub where Philip English, holding a stick, and his father attempted to enter the premises, but were ejected.

Representing Philip, Glen Gatland said the two men had never intended visiting the pub but after the actions of the doormen, they had decided to return. Once thrown out of the pub, Philip had played no further part in the incident.

Mr Gatland told Judge Esmond Faulks that Philip had not been in any trouble since 1993.

The court heard that because of his wrong conviction for murder he had been a target.

Mr Gatland said: "People in his community have tried to harass him.

"He has had his nose broken and teeth knocked out and he has suffered depression. But what angered him on the night was not the attack on him but the fact that his father had been punched and he admits he lost his temper."

Now married with two children and a third on the way, the court heard that Philip was hoping to become a plasterer. Mr Gatland said that if he passed his training he wanted to move away from the area so that he and his family could get on with their lives.

Gary English was fined £250 for disorderly conduct and ordered to pay £250 towards prosecution costs.

l Tomorrow, Noreen Forth will open the refurbished Bill Forth Memorial Park, at Fence Houses, County Durham, in memory of her son.