A POLICE officer has appeared in court accused of assaulting a suspect who was in handcuffs.

Paul McVeigh, 48, is alleged to have dropped the victim on his face, causing a 3cm wide wound, a hearing at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court was told today.

Mr McVeigh, who indicated a not guilty plea to assault occasioning actual body harm, has also been charged with a separate count of common assault arising from the incident at a Sunderland police station on January 26.

David Lee, prosecuting, said: “Mr McVeigh was acting in his capacity as a police officer.

“The victim was a suspect he had arrested together with a colleague and taken to the police station.

“There are two offences - both occurred during the process of taking the suspect from the van towards the custody suite.”

Mr McVeigh, an officer with Northumbria Police, gave his address as Hebburn, on South Tyneside.

He spoke only to confirm his name and indicate a plea.

Magistrates declined jurisdiction and committed the case to Teesside Crown Court for trial on August 15.