A MALVERN man punched a bouncer in the eye and spat on police officers after he was thrown out of a pub.

Bouncers ejected Denis Butler from The Vaults pub, Worcester Road, Malvern, because they believed he had been harassing two women.

Butler, aged 33, of Belmont Road, Malvern, lashed out at doorman Christopher Francis, punching him in the eye, on Saturday, January 27, after he was thrown out.

He admitted a charge of assault by battery and two charges of resisting a police officer at Worcester Magistrates Court on Monday.

Lesley Ashton, prosecuting, said bouncers removed Butler, one holding each of his arms. Miss Ashton added: "He became physically aggressive and he and his friend had to be ejected."

Mr Francis said in a statement read out by the prosecution: "He turned immediately on being released and punched me with his right hand."

Police were called to arrest him and during that arrest he resisted both officers, the court heard.

One of the officers reported being kicked in the leg during a struggle, forcing a special constable to intervene to restrain him.

He then spat on an officer's trousers and on the other's jacket. Police officers said Mr Francis suffered swelling and redness to his face where he was punched although Mark Lister, defending, said Mr Francis himself had not mentioned this in his statement.

Mark Lister, defending, said: "He's not proud of his behaviour on this evening. He was out in the pub and had drunk far too much, which he fully accepts. His recollection is somewhat blurred by the consumption of alcohol. It was not his belief that he was behaving in a way that deserved the behaviour of the doormen to eject him."

Magistrates ordered Butler, who had one previous conviction for common assault, to complete 80 hours of unpaid work for the assault as part of a supervised community order.

He was ordered to pay £75 compensation to Mr Francis.

For the two counts of resisting police he was ordered to pay £25 to each of the two officers involved.