A CHEPSTOW man was fined £60 for pinching a policeman's bottom.

Daley Michael Smith, 20, appeared before Newport magistrates yesterday charged with assaulting a police officer.

Smith was with a group of friends in Moor Street, Chepstow, in the early hours of Sunday, April 18, 2004.

Sergeant Mike Stannard was standing on the street ready to deal with any drunken behaviour.

He leaned in through the window of a police car to speak to a colleague. As he did so, Smith stepped forward and firmly pinched his rear.

Sergeant Stannard, 37, an officer with ten years' experience with Gwent Police, said after the hearing: "Daley was trying to show off to his mates and thought this showed he can do what he likes. The court's decision shows he can't.

"This verdict has made my day. Some people might think that sort of behaviour is nothing but it's disrespectful to the law. Daley is the sort of person who thinks he can get away with it. This spells out to his kind that we won't put up with it.

"We are getting more and more people who think they can do what they want. Swearing at police seems to be commonplace these days.

"I've never known an incident like this. I wondered whether the courts would bother with it. It's nice to see they are backing us."

Smith was charged two weeks after the incident, when Sergeant Stannard was next able to locate him.

Smith, whose address was given in court as Riverside Walk, off Lower Church Street, pleaded guilty to the offence.

Chairman of the magistrates' bench Keith Davies also ordered him to pay £40 costs.