Man punched police officer and took her radio at Pink concert at Sunderland's Stadium of Light

A drunk concertgoer hit a duff note by punching a policewoman in the face and tearing her uniform after a gig by pop star Pink in Sunderland.

David White, 51, also grabbed her radio, leaving her unable to call for back-up, when he became aggressive outside the Stadium of Light venue on Tuesday, June 6.

White, of Whitehouse Lane, North Shields, struck after becoming separated from his partner after the show, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard.

He found her being treated by police after she suffered a fit or was attacked – and lashed out when they would not let him near her.

His assault left the officer with a swollen right check and a bloodshot eye – and angry at his unprovoked antics, prosecutor Chris Tame said.

As punishment, White must pay his victim £100 compensation and complete 100 hours of unpaid work and 25 rehabilitation sessions as part of an 18-month community order.

Mr Tame said: “It was the Pink concert. The officer was helping a female who was having a fit.

“The female was hanging on to a male who it was assumed to be her partner who was Mr White.

“He was immediately rude and hostile and referred to stewards as ‘idiots’, which was deemed to be offensive, and he was warned.

“He’s become aggressive to two officers, also calling them idiots, and he then squared up to them.

“There was a tussle and as an officer went to put the defendant’s arms behind his back, he has punched her towards her right cheek.

“He then grabbed her shoulder, ripping her uniform, and grabbed her radio and pulled it away, making it unable to be used.

“The police did a distraction strike and were able to arrest him.”

In a victim statement, the officer described White as being “extremely abusive and aggressive” and said she had only been trying to assist his partner.

White, who is in employment, pleaded guilty to charges of common assault of an emergency worker and being drunk and disorderly.

He has four previous convictions, including offences of battery in 2017 and 2019.

Chris Wilson, defending, said: “He and his partner had been to the concert and had become separated.

“He went looking for her and found her lying on the ground. She was having a seizure in the car park.

“He approached the officers and told them she suffers seizures but was stopped from approaching. He was pushed away.

“It then transpires she had been attacked or robbed in the car park. He accepts that his behaviour was inappropriate, and he shouldn’t have reacted as he did.

“He pleads guilty at the first opportunity and is remorseful. Mr White does not appear before the courts, week in and week out.

“This is his first offence of an assault on an emergency worker.” 

White must also pay a £114 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.