A POLICE officer has been charged with assault, perverting the course of justice and perjury.

PC Jason Livesey, based at the Greenbank station, Whitebirk, appeared before Burnley magistrates yesterday.

The charges followed an 18-month investigation by Lancashire Police's professional standards department.

An internal inquiry was launched after a court case in June 2003 involving Lee Sahers, whose address was not given during yesterday's hearing.

PC Livesey has been accused of arresting Mr Sahers without grounds and assaulting him, causing actual bodily harm during an alleged incident in Accrington.

The charge of giving false statements in court relates to a hearing in June 2003 at Hyndburn Magistrates' Court.

Livesey's case was adjourned until June 6 at Burnley Crown Court when the officer will enter a plea.

He has not been suspended but has been put on restricted duties while the case is on-going.

After the professional standards' probe in March 2005, PC Livesey, who gave his address in court as Greenbank police station, was summonsed to appear before Justices sitting on the Burnley bench.

A police statement said: "Following an investigation by the constabulary's professional standards department, an officer based in the Eastern Division, covering Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, was summonsed to appear before Burnley magistrates to answer charges of assault, perverting the course of justice and perjury.

"The matters all relate to an incident in June 2003. The officer has been transferred to other duties but has not been suspended."