Off-duty Sussex PCs 'attacked man after club row'

Paul Bridger (left) and Robert Rangeley (right) were off-duty at the time, the court heard

Two police officers pinned a man to the ground and attacked him after a row in a nightclub, a court heard.

At Hove Crown Court Paul Bridger and Robert Rangeley, both 39, deny occasioning actual bodily harm.

The two Sussex Police constables were off-duty at the time, jurors heard.

Prosecuting, Robin Griffiths said the pair attacked Martin Lovett after an earlier row at Maxims in Eastbourne on 5 January 2017, when Mr Rangeley was pushed to the floor.

The court heard George Baker, a barman at the club, was about to leave work in the early hours when he heard "screams of terror".

Jurors heard he found the 33-year-old lying on the floor covered in blood with the officers on top of him.

Mr Lovett was treated in hospital for a cut above his eye.

'Unlawful violence'

Jurors were told Mr Rangeley initially told police and paramedics he was responsible and apologised, but later claimed he had blacked out and did not remember the assault.

The court heard Mr Bridger believed he used reasonable force and was acting in Mr Rangeley's defence.

Mr Griffiths said it was "unlawful violence", adding: "What had happened to Mr Lovett was simply inexcusable as an act of self-defence or defence of another.

"Not purporting to be acting as police officers, they simply followed Mr Lovett with the intention of punishing him for knocking Rangeley to the floor."

He said bar staff saw Mr Rangeley fall to the floor earlier in the evening and get up "immediately", despite his claims he fell unconscious.

The court heard both men were arrested that day and Mr Bridger, a Lewes-based response officer from Polegate, was suspended two months later.

Three years earlier, he had been commended for chasing and arresting a rape suspect while injured, jurors were told.

Mr Rangeley, who lives and works in Eastbourne, was on sick leave at the time, jurors heard.

The trial continues.