A POLICE officer accused of assaulting a man in custody told a court he would do the same again if he was violently attacked.

PC Paul Ions said he was struck from behind by Paul Longstaff and reacted instinctively to defend himself before spinning round to hit the man.

The incident, caught on a security camera, happened in the custody room of Hartlepool police station on October 12, last year.

PC Ions, 29, from Ingleby Barwick, near Stockton, told Teesside Magistrates' Court he immediately identified his attacker and took steps to control the volatile situation.

He said: "I had tunnel vision on my target. I was aware of other officers and I was aware of movement around - instead of striking full force, I tried to calm it down."

He added: "Without doubt, I would do it again."

PC Ions denies assualt.

He also denies a second charge of assaulting Adnan Asif, 19, at Stockton police station, in September last year.

PC Ions told investigating police officers he used appropriate force to control Mr Asif as he struggled violently when he tried to get him out of the van, before falling to the ground where he was kicking his legs and flailing his arms.

He denied kicking or punching the teenager, who hailed a torrent of abuse at the officer.

"I placed the base of my boot into the small of his back to roll him on to his front," he told the court.

Detective Constable Lee Rukin, who was then a police constable, said Mr Asif's behaviour was unacceptable.

He said: "He was continually abusive to PC Ions. There was a constant tirade of abuse."

Under cross-examination, he said PC Ions did not lose control during the abuse but appeared upset by the tirade.

PC Ions is suspended by Cleveland Police.

The trial continues.