A POLICE officer's future in the force is in jeopardy after his conviction for punching a woman while off-duty at a nightclub.

Terrence Ottaway was accused of "drunken yobbery" after a court heard he landed the blow to the face of a 22-year-old woman who intervened to help a friend being "pestered" by him, on the dance floor.

Ottaway, from Chester-le-Street, County Durham, who was variously described as "drunk", "very drunk" and, "off his face", by witnesses, denied assault by beating.

But after convicting him, on "overwhelming evidence", District Judge Vincent McDade ordered Ottaway to pay the victim 350 compensation, plus 350 prosecution costs.

He also made him subject of a three-month electronically-tagged curfew order, during which he must be at home between 8pm and 6am.

It followed a two-day trial at Durham Magistrates' Court, during which the 30-year-old Northumbria Police constable said he went to the club, Beach, in Sunderland, after ending his shift at the city's Farringdon station, that night, on July 21, 2005.

He said he must have been misidentified as he was not involved in any such incident on the dance floor, and claimed he was assaulted before being ejected from the premises, in Albion Place.

But, after convicting him, District Judge McDade told Ottaway: "To be frank, the evidence in this case is absolutely overwhelming.

"At the time there was a campaign being run by the police called, 'The Party's Over', in an attempt to stop violence and drunkenness.

"Yet, your behaviour was no more or less than the drunken yobbery that's all too prevalent among certain elements of the community.

"As a serving police officer your behaviour fell far below that required by the community, as someone charged with upholding the law."

The district judge said he took account of the fact Ottaway has no previous convictions.

He added: "I'm also aware that the consequences of the outcome to you will be grave in terms of the likely loss of your job."

On his conviction, Ottaway's solicitor, Geoffrey Forrester said: "I'm instructed to lodge an appeal."

But Mr Forrester's request that the curfew order should not begin until the outcome of the appeal was rejected by the district judge.

Asked about Ottaway's future in the force, a Northumbria Police spokeswoman said last night: "He's been suspended since the incident.

"Once the case is finalised at court, a misconduct inquiry will be commenced."