Tony Di Bart: The Real Thing singer sentenced for hitting PC

Antonio Di Bartolomeo hit the police officer in the face

A chart-topping singer has been handed a community order for hitting a police officer while drunk.

Antonio Di Bartolomeo, 58, better known as Tony Di Bart, struck PC Jessica Howells' face after police were called to his home on 28 February.

Di Bartolomeo, whose song The Real Thing topped the UK charts in 1994, was found guilty on 27 June of reckless assault by beating an emergency worker.

The 12-month community order includes 20 days of rehabilitation activities.

At a previous hearing, Di Bartolomeo, of St Marks Crescent in Maidenhead, admitted the homophobic and racist abuse of two other officers in separate incidents, as well as criminal damage.

Tony Di Bart topped the charts in 1994 with The Real Thing

Sentencing him at Reading Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, district judge Samuel Goozee said alcohol had been "the theme which runs alongside all of the four offences".

The court heard that police attended the defendant's address after he sent a video to his partner of him damaging her furniture, and were able to enter because she gave them a key.

In body-worn video footage PC Howells can be heard saying "Ow", which she said was when the defendant "smacked" her in the face.

Giving evidence previously, Di Bartolomeo said two of his siblings and his father died after a cancer diagnosis, and in February he had just had a biopsy for lung cancer, and was "in pieces".

He said he had been trying to protect his face from pepper spray that had been deployed by officers as they attempted to restrain him.

The defendant was also made to pay a total of £200 in compensation as well as £700 in legal fees.