Buckingham Palace armed police attacked by US tourist

The two officers were assaulted near Buckingham Palace on Valentine's Day

An American tourist has admitted assaulting two armed police officers outside Buckingham Palace on Valentine's Day.

Ryan Robinson, 36, punched PC Ben Collins numerous times to the face and tried to grab his Taser.

He also knocked PC Simon Leckie to the ground when the officer tried to help.

Robinson, from Hawaii, was told to pay £200 compensation as well as £80 in court costs within a week or serve 14 days in jail.

Westminster Magistrates' Court heard that Robinson had asked the two officers "Do you know any jokes?", before the attack.

'Extraordinary strength'

Robinson punched PC Collins, who was on patrol awaiting the arrival of the Prince of Wales, at least four times to the face.

When PC Leckie tried to intervene, shouting "Armed police. Stand still" and pointing his weapon at the American, Robinson knocked him to the ground.

The attacker then pulled the two officers to their feet in "an extraordinary display of strength," prosecutor Henry Fitch said, before punching PC Collins again.

Robinson was heavily intoxicated and several other officers were needed to restrain and arrest him, the court heard.

PC Collins suffered bruising to his face and ribs, while PC Leckie suffered a tendon injury in his wrist.

District Judge Margot Coleman said: "It was a fierce assault and it appeared to the officer at the time that you tried to go for his Taser gun. Who could have anticipated where that might have led?

"The fact that you were intoxicated at the time makes you the author of your own misfortunes, it does not diminish the offence in any way, if anything it aggravates it."

Robinson was also handed an eight-week jail term suspended for one year.