A DISGRACED police officer has been sentenced to four months in prison after being found guilty of assaulting two men in custody.

Paul Ions, 29, of Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, was caught on security camera punching 22-year-old Paul Longstaff after he was attacked in the custody room of Hartlepool police station, on October 12 last year.

The married father-of-one was also found guilty of punching teenager Adnan Asif in the face while he waited in the holding room of Stockton police station, in September last year.

He had denied both assault charges.

Deputy District Judge Sandra Keen sentenced Ions to three months for the assault on Mr Longstaff and one month, to run consecutively, for the assault on Mr Asif.

She said: "Any unjustified force used by a police officer during the course of his duties is unacceptable. No officer can use force against a prisoner."

The four-day trial heard evidence from a number of Ions' colleagues, who claimed he endured a barrage of abuse from Mr Asif.

Recounting evidence from Detective Constable Lee Rukin - who was then a police constable - Deputy District Judge Keen said: "He heard a slapping sound and then the abuse stopped.

"He recalled he saw Mr Asif sitting down with his hand on his face."

Ions had claimed he had put his hands on the teenager's shoulders to make him sit down.

Security camera footage of the Hartlepool police station incident clearly showed Ions being attacked from behind by Mr Longstaff.

It also showed Ions' reaction to the assault.

Deputy District Judge Keen said: "At the time Paul Longstaff was hit he was restrained by other officers.

"Even if he had not been, the defendant was well aware he was in a secure area and was surrounded by other officers."

Sentencing Ions to four months, she said: "The people of Cleveland are entitled to expect that officers who police their streets behave in an appropriate way.

"You have over-reacted and lost your temper and behaved in a way that is totally unacceptable."

In mitigation, Steven Crossley said: "Being a police officer, his experience in custody is likely to be an extremely difficult one."

Ions was given leave to appeal against the ruling.

The officer is currently suspended by Cleveland Police.

A police spokesman said: "It would be inappropriate to comment at this time."