A CHESTER man will be sentenced after Christmas for smacking a police officer in the face in an act of violence that he said was out of character.

Philip Evans, 41 and Wade Court, appeared unrepresented at Chester Magistrates Court on Tuesday, November 26 and pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker and being drunk and disorderly.

The charges related to an incident on November 9 in Foregate Street when officers witnessed Evans walking unsteadily on his feet before two people accidentally bumped into him.

He told officers that he was going to follow them and have a fight before shouting abuse at the pair.

Officers warned him that he would be arrested if he continued to act in a disorderly manner leading to Evans – according to prosecutor Valeriya Tonkinson – telling them that he would ‘f*****g smash them in the face’.

He then swung at one officer and caught him full in the face, causing immediate pain.

In interview, Evans declined to watch CCTV of the incident but took full responsibility and said his memory of the event was hazy but wanted his apologies to be passed to the officer concerned.

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Mrs Tonkinson confirmed he had no previous convictions.

Evans, when given the opportunity to speak on his behalf, said the incident was the result of ‘long pent-up resentment against the police’.

He said: “I don’t usually drink and it was a bad situation.

“I had a previous experience with police and I was angry with them for not doing what they said they would.

“Hitting a copper just isn’t me and it was just a build-up of emotions.”

Chairman of the bench Richard Wallace ordered a pre-sentence report to give Evans a chance to explain in more detail why he acted as he did.

He will return to Chester Magistrates Court on Friday, December 27 to be sentenced.