A POLICE constable brutally punched and kicked a man in a Newport street in an unprovoked attack, a court heard.

Bradley Price begged PC Christopher Timmins, pictured, to stop and shouted for someone to 'phone the police as he tried to defend himself in the early hours of the morning, Cardiff crown court was told.

Timmins was convicted of assault and sentenced to 28 days imprisonment by Newport magistrates. But yesterday he appeared in court to appeal against sentence and conviction.

Prosecutor Ray Lewis told the crown court Mr Price had thrown chips at Timmins, and was chased by him through the centre of Newport before being giving a beating in front of other officers.

Mr Price crouched, unresisting, throughout the attack, shouting: "Stop, stop, please stop, help me, call the police."

Timmins, 28, of The Highway, New Inn, Pontypool, is a member of the Force Support Group D Divison, based in Blackwood.

He is appealing on the grounds the conviction was against the weight of the evidence and the sentence was "manifestly excessive".

Mr Lewis said: "In the early hours of the morning of June 3 2000 Mr Price was kneeling on the pavement in Stow Hill, Newport, when he was punched and kicked, a head-lock was applied and pressure was applied to his neck."

He said he was gasping for breath and at one point slumped to the ground striking his head.

"It was an unwarranted, unprovoked beating caused by a police officer on duty and in uniform."

It was witnessed, he said, by three other officers who were very concerned about what they saw. He said that earlier in the evening Timmins had told police sergeant Andrew Mathias that Price had thrown chips at the police.

He said Timmins was seen later to stand over Mr Price who was kneeling down.

"Sergeant Mathias was ten yards away and saw him punch Mr Price four or five times, he thought, to the body. He then stood back and kicked him at least twice," he alleged.

Mr Lewis added: "He was at no time any threat to Timmins."

A doctor later found Mr Price had a cut and swollen forehead and swellings to the bridge of his nose. Timmins had a swollen forehead and a cut index finger.

Later Timmins made a statement saying he chased Mr Price whom he claimed threatened him and that he punched him to "restrain him".

Proceeding.