A FORMER city councillor has been fined £500 after pleading guilty to punching a police officer in the face. Andrew Sloan was the portfolio holder for economic regeneration in the Liberal Democrat administration which took control of the council from Labour in 2006.
Currently Guernsey's chief economist, he was arrested last week after assaulting the police officer at the British-Irish Council summit in Jersey. As well as being fined, Sloan, 44, was also sentenced to 70 hours of community service at Jersey Magistrates' Court.
The court heard he assaulted the policeman and was abusive towards him on Thursday evening at L'Horizon Hotel bar in St Brelade, Jersey.
Sloan was also ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the policeman.
Top officials from across the British Isles had been meeting to discuss ways of tackling the economy at the summit.
After asking for another drink and becoming abusive about paying the bill, Sloan was approached by a policeman who told him he was being out of order.
The court heard how, out of the blue, the economist then turned and punched the officer in the jaw.
In a statement, the police officer said it had been a painful punch, leaving him unable to chew or close his jaw properly for hours afterwards.
Immediately after the assault, Sloan was handcuffed and began swearing loudly, saying he worked for Guernsey's government while yelling abuse, the court heard.
A States of Guernsey Policy Council spokesman said it would not discuss "issues relating to individual employees".
However, he said: "The States of Guernsey takes its reputation very seriously and that includes the conduct of its staff when on States business."
Sloan's lawyer said his client was ashamed and mortified by his behaviour.
He said he was under extreme stress, was overworked and had now ruined his previous "immaculate record", having already spent three days in jail awaiting the court hearing.
Sloan claimed "someone had kept topping up his glass" at the conference.
Guernsey was represented at the summit by chief minister Peter Harwood and commerce and employment minister Kevin Stewart, while States chief executive Mike Brown and Sloan were among the delegation.
They met representatives from the UK and Irish governments, as well as officials from Scotland and Wales, the Northern Ireland Executive and the governments of the Isle of Man and Jersey.
Sloan left Hull for Guernsey three years ago
• Follow us on Facebook and Twitter
• Crime news for Hull and East Yorkshire
