A man who became abusive and pushed a police officer in the chest when they were speaking to him about his drunken behaviour has landed himself in court.

Christopher Fox had been out drinking with friends after being given the all-clear from a two-year health scare when he was arrested.

The 37-year-old was heavily intoxicated at the time of the offence, Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court heard.

Liz McGowan, prosecuting, said: “The police were called to an incident and an officer goes over to talk to the defendant, where he proceeds to push him to the chest.

“There is no injury caused to the officer.”

Fox, of Redmire Drive, Consett, pleaded guilty to assaulting a police officer by beating following the incident on March 3 this year.

Neil Douglas, mitigating, said the father-of-three would have probably faced an out-of-court punishment if he had not chosen a police officer to push.

He said: “Mr Fox had abstained from alcohol for two years for health reasons and was given the all clear shortly beforehand.

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“He went out with work colleagues and suffered more than he would have done in usual circumstances and found himself intoxicated.”

District Judge Steven Hood fined the defendant £130 with a further £137 in court charges after he pleaded guilty to the offence.

He said: “You have lost your good character and there is no doubt that alcohol played a part in that.

Fortunately, there was no injury caused to the officer, it was just a single push towards an officer just trying to do his job.”