A Tenby man accused of assaulting an off-duty police officer has been ordered to pay compensation to his victim after pleading guilty to the charge in court this week.

Thirty-year-old Robert Peter Goldsworthy, of Upper Frog Street, appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, charged with assaulting Inspector Mark McSweeney, in St. Florence, on February 2.

Prosecutor, Mr. Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told magistrates that the complainant was an off-duty police inspector, who was known to the defendant.

"The fact that he is a police officer has nothing to do with the case, they know each other, and Mr. Goldsworthy even said that he was a 'top bloke' in a police interview that he gave," Mr. Pritchard-Jones told the court.

Magistrates heard how both were at St. Florence's Parsonage Farm Inn, for a re-opening night, when the incident occurred outside the premises.

"The defendant was there with a friend who had had too much to drink and got into an argument," continued Mr. Pritchard-Jones.

"Insp. McSweeney saw Mr. Goldsworthy and his friend being restrained by other members of the public and tried to get him to calm down, but he was lashing out with his hands and caught the bridge of the nose of the complainant with the back of his hand, which caused it to bleed for some time. He suffered a cut, bruising and swelling to his nose."

In a police interview, Mr. Goldsworthy said he had drunk over 10 pints and probably around 10 shots prior to the incident, and that he had no intention of hitting Insp. McSweeney, but that he was simply trying to get in front of the people his friend was involved in an altercation with.

Mr. Pritchard-Jones told magistrates that this was the 10th conviction or caution against a person that the defendant had received.

Mr. Goldsworthy's solicitor, Mr. Mike Kelleher, said it was a very unfortunate incident.

"My client had no intention of being involved in a ruckus that evening, he saw his friend get into bother, and he lashed out with his hands, but didn't intend to hit someone that he regards as a friend," he explained.

"Despite his previous convictions, this is distinguished from the others as it was unintentional as such," added Mr. Kelleher.

Before passing sentence, magistrates heard that Mr. Goldsworthy owed over £2,000 in outstanding non payments to the court for fines, costs, compensation claims and victim surcharges, relating to previous cases.

He was told by magistrates that the non payments were not going to go away and that if he failed to pay them off, he was going to be in big trouble.

Mr. Goldsworthy was ordered to pay £100 compensation to his victim, and was fined £200 for the offence.

He was also told to pay costs of £85 and a £20 victim surcharge.