A LORRY driver who throttled a police officer at York Railway Station has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Andrew Harman, 53, must also pay £500 compensation to the policeman and £100 compensation to a special police sergeant who was also injured in the incident.

Melanie Ibbotson, prosecuting, said the officers used a pepper spray against him because he was flailing his arms and resisting attempts to force him to leave the station.

Harman got both arms round the policeman’s neck and pulled him to the ground where his knuckle dug into the officer’s neck, causing him pain.

He then increased the pressure. Reinforcements joined the two officers and restrained Harman.

In a personal statement, the policeman told York Magistrates' Court the HGV driver’s behaviour was “a blatant display of utter disregard for the police in general".

He added that he couldn’t say how glad he was that other officers were on duty at the same time and that if they hadn’t been there, he could have been seriously injured.

The policeman and special sergeant were trying to remove Harman from the station because he was too drunk to travel, said Ms Ibbotson.

Harman, of Lee Avenue, Withernsea, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker who was a police officer, obstructing the special constable and being drunk and disorderly.

York magistrates told him: “This was a particularly nasty offence. Policemen and other emergency workers don’t go to work to be assaulted.”

They called his actions an “appalling assault” with “substantial force including strangulation”.

They gave him a 21-week prison sentence and suspended it for 12 months on condition Harman does five days’ rehabilitative activities and 150 hours’ unpaid work.

In addition to the £600 total compensation, Harman must pay a £128 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

For him, Steve Munro said: “He is extremely sorry and passes his apologies to the police officers.”

Harman had come to York to celebrate his birthday and had had some drinks but had not been heavily intoxicated, said the defence solicitor.

“The pepper spray got into his eyes and things got out of hand. He didn’t intend to harm anyone, and he didn’t intend to hurt anyone.”

Ms Ibbotson said Harman was unsteady on his feet and had a can in his hand at 9.30pm on September 11.

Earlier police had arrested a friend of Harman’s when Harman had intervened by being obstructive and quarrelsome.

Security staff tried to escort him from the station, but he stuck up a finger and told them: “I will knock you out."

The special police sergeant told him he was too drunk to travel and that he should leave the station.

Both officers suffered minor physical injuries and described psychological effects in their personal statements.