A COWDENBEATH man would not leave a pub when asked to do so then assaulted a female police officer.

Former serviceman John Reddington appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

Reddington, 34, of King Street, admitted that on July 17 last year at the Silver Birch bar, Broad Street, Cowdenbeath, he adopted an aggressive attitude, repeatedly shouted and swore at police.

He also assaulted a female police officer by seizing her by the body and the hair, pulling her to the ground.

The court was told that at 8.20pm police had been contacted about a man refusing to leave the premises.

When officers arrived, they found Reddington complaining to the landlady about something. She told the police that he would not get out when asked to do so.

Reddington then became irate and very vocal towards police officers.

When told to stand still, he began to walk off. He became angry and aggressive when an officer took hold of him and he grabbed a female constable by the hair and pulled her to the ground.

Sheriff Grant McCulloch said: “He used to be in the armed service. I wonder how long he thinks he would have got in the guard house for this.”

“Thirty days,” said Reddington from the dock.

Defence solicitor Aime Allan said: “He struggles with alcohol issues which have taken hold since his discharge from the military.”

Sheriff McCulloch imposed a structured deferred sentence which will be reviewed on November 2.