A policeman who lashed out when a guest kissed his girlfriend at a Christmas party has escaped a prison sentence but looks certain to lose his job.

Sergeant Leigh Hardwick, an officer for nearly 20 years, was sentenced to a 180-hour community punishment order for assaulting two guests and a waitress at the party at the New Orleans restaurant in Terminus Road, Eastbourne, in December 2001.

After a trial lasting four days last year at Brighton Magistrates Court, the case was adjourned by District Judge Ann Arnold until yesterday for sentence.

She ordered Hardwick, 42, of Furness Road, Eastbourne, to pay compensation to his victims as well as £3,317 costs.

The court heard Hardwick, whose claims of self-defence were rejected by the judge, was appealing against the convictions.

Witnesses told how Hardwick acted in a drunken and aggressive manner. He had been signed off work sick, suffering from depression and stress because of work problems, when he went to the party with his girlfriend.

Trouble broke out when Hardwick objected to guest Patrick Marten giving her a goodbye kiss at the party.

The officer punched him, then hit another guest who was trying to stop the fight and a waitress was slapped in the face as he left the restaurant. Hardwick said he was attacked first.

The judge told Hardwick the offences were serious. She said: "The public expects high standards of behaviour from people employed in the police force."

She accepted the offences were out of character and committed when he was clinically depressed.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said a misconduct hearing will be held to decide Hardwick's future with the police.

His appeal against the convictions will be heard at Lewes Crown Court at a date to be fixed.