A DAD who aimed a headbutt at a police man had tried to hit a bouncer at a Rawtenstall pub, a court was told.

Joseph Richard Cropper, 22, caught the PC with a glancing blow in the early hours trouble when police detained him.

Cropper went on to allege doormen had attacked the friend with a cosh.

Burnley magistrates heard how Cropper, a groundworker, was currently employed on an ape enclosure at Blackpool Zoo.

The defendant, of Willow Street, Haslingden, admitted police assault and using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, on February 9. He was given a three month curfew, from 7pm to 6am and must pay £85 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Philippa White, prosecuting, said just before 1am, the defendant was with a man who had been ejected from the Queen's Arms, Bank Street, after a disturbance.

Police spoke to the man and Cropper approached and told them he would take his friend home. As they walked on Bank Street, past the pub, the defendant ran at the front door and tried to hit a dooman.

They managed to fend him off and as police tried to handcuff him, he aimed a headbutt at PC Alec Booth. The officer pulled away, but was caught a glancing blow to his left cheek. Cropper had convictions for being drunk and disorderly.

Joanne Heseldon, for Cropper, said the defendant would say the bouncers had been involved in a separate incident two weeks before.

He had spoken to one of the bouncers, then saw his friend who was bleeding and the friend said he had been attacked. The solicitor said: “This is why, he says, he behaved totally out of character that night.”