A teenager who assaulted a police officer, giving him two broken bones, has been spared jail in what the police federation has described as an "outrageous sentence".

Sergeant Alec Barrett was trying to break up a fight in Brighton last month, when he was "sucker-punched from behind" by 19-year-old Jonathan Beauchamp. He said Beauchamp then punched him several times again once he had regained consciousness.

The Argus: Sgt Alec's injuries in hospitalSgt Alec's injuries in hospital (Image: Sussex Police Federation)

Sgt Barrett was rushed to hospital with concussion, a broken eye socket, bleeding in his sinuses, a broken nose and damage to his cheek.

Beauchamp, of Old Barn Way in Southwick, appeared in front of Lewes Crown Court for sentencing yesterday after he admitted to inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent during an appearance at Brighton Magistrates Court last month.

The Argus: Lewes Crown CourtLewes Crown Court (Image: Andrew Gardner / The Argus)

Sgt Barrett described the moment he was attacked, saying it has left him apprehensive about returning to work.

He said: "I was in a vulnerable position on the ground when the man sucker-punched me from a position that I didn’t see coming. When I regained full consciousness, I looked up to try to work out what had happened as I knew I was defenceless, he then punched me again a few more times in the face whilst standing over me.

"My face is horrendously swollen around my cheek and one side of my face. I’ve been assaulted before, but I now find myself apprehensive about going back to work, especially operational duty, where I might be in the same position again, it’s affected me and my family who now worry about me going to work."

The Argus: Sgt Barrett's injuriesSgt Barrett's injuries (Image: Sussex Police Federation)

Beauchamp was given a one-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, with an additional five-month curfew. He was ordered to do 120 hours of unpaid work and pay £2,000 in compensation.

But Sergeant Raffaele Cioffi, Deputy Secretary of Sussex Police Federation, said: "This is a lenient sentence for a violent criminal whose cowardly attack on a defenceless police officer left him with serious injuries. Let’s not forget that Sgt Barrett was trying to protect members of the public and was violently attacked for doing so, he was lucky not to have been blinded."

Sgt Cioffi said he was "outraged", and called on the courts to "protect the protectors".