A REVELLER assaulted a police officer during a drunken disturbance outside a Blackburn pub while on his work's Christmas party.

But the town's magistrates were told that Andrew Kokocinski had now been banned from future celebrations, not by his bosses, but by his wife.

"She says that if he had come straight home from work this wouldn't have happened," said Daniel King, defending.

Kokocinski, 33, of Holcombe Drive, Burnley, pleaded guilty to being drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months for the first offence and fined £200 with £200 compensation for the second. He was also ordered to pay £65 costs.

The court heard that Kokocinski was involved in a fight when officers tried to intervene. He grabbed at one officer, scratching his face, and was eventually wrestled to the ground and handcuffed.

Mr King said Kokocinski was embarrassed, ashamed and extremely remorseful for his behaviour. "He does not go out much and is not used to drinking," said Mr King.

"This incident occurred on the last day of work when he was persuaded to go out with colleagues for a Christmas drink and he had more than he should have."

Mr King said there was an incident inside a pub which spilled into the street and when police intervened Kokocinski accepted that he had "lost his head."

"He accepts that he lashed out but he says he did not initially realise it was a police officer," said Mr King.

He said Kokocinski had previous convictions but they had come to an abrupt end when he met his now wife five and a half years ago.

"She thought he had put this kind of behaviour behind him and is extremely disappointed," said Mr King.