A police officer had to get his baton out for his own protection during a disturbance on Brighton's Whitehawk estate last year, a court has been told.

PC Tim Rylatt told Hove Crown Court how he dodged missiles before getting his weapon out when one of the defendants, Ricky Rider, tried to punch him in the face.

He said: "I got my baton out for my own protection and the protection of the other officers. When Ryder turned away and the danger had passed I put it away again straight away."

PC Rylatt admitted studying the CCTV footage within hours of the incident because he wanted to get the evening's events clear in his head.

However he denied he or any other officer had been concerned about their actions and wanted to know what had been caught on camera.

PC Rylatt was asked to try to identify another officer on the film seen running with a baton in his hand but he could not.

During the trial the jury has heard how police were called to the estate after trouble broke out. Police claim a mob of youths were shouting, jeering and taunting officers.

Two teenagers aged 17 and 15, who cannot be named for legal reasons, have already pleaded guilty to causing a violent disorder on April 28 last year on the Whitehawk estate.

The other eight defendants have pleaded not guilty. They are Rider, 29, of Haybourne Road; Darren Larbey, 22, of Findon Road; Leon Page, 19, of Plaistow Close; Asa McBridge, 18, of Haybourne Close; and Lee Gumbrill, 18, of Swallow Close, plus three other youths who cannot be named for legal reasons. The trial continues.