A MAN who punched a police officer in the jaw when his friend was being handcuffed has been warned he could face jail.

Chester Magistrates Court showed CCTV footage of the incident as Joel Miller, 22, of Bryn Crescent, Rhuddlan, Rhyl, pleaded guilty to assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Prosecuting on Monday, February 18, Kerry Pepperell said it was on the night of February 1 when police were alerted to Miller and his male friend appearing to give "unwanted attention" to a female in Chester city centre.

Police told the men to move away from the scene and for a time Miller tried to pull his friend away from the area.

Eventually, the police officer went to arrest Miller's friend and Miller reacted by punching the officer in the jaw, chipping his front tooth.

CCTV footage relayed in the courtroom showed the incident unfolding on the Eastgate Street Rows near the Lakeland store at 2.48am, with Miller throwing one punch at the officer's jaw, which left the officer shaking his head.

A second police officer appeared and ran after Miller before he was arrested.

Further footage, captured at Blacon Custody Suite that same night, was played to the court and showed Miller making several racial and homophobic comments at officers.

To one, he was heard saying he was a "f***ing p**f," while he called another a "P**i paedo". He was also shown spitting and headbutting the window of his cell.

The court heard Miller had one previous conviction for failing to provide a specimen and was handed a 16-month driving ban.

Defending, Stephen Coupe said: "Clearly this is a very serious set of circumstances.

"He has very little criminal history or anything for that type of behaviour."

Mr Coupe said when sober, Miller accepted his actions were out of order and he was very apologetic.

There "could not be a sharper contrast" between the man appearing in the dock and the man that night, Mr Coupe told the court.

Miller had been on a works night out and had had far too much to drink. He could not put his finger on how he went from going to defuse a situation to punching a police officer.

Magistrates adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report to be gathered.

Miller was told to return to Chester Magistrates Court for sentencing next month.

He was advised custody was an option the magistrates had when sentencing him.

In the meantime he was placed on conditional bail, where he must not be seen drunk in a public place and he must not enter Chester city centre except for court-related matters.