A Helston man who pleaded guilty to beating a police officer and drink and drug driving has been disqualified from getting behind the wheel for 16 months.

Harry Waller, 59, of Beacon Terrace appeared at Truro Magistrates last week for sentencing after pleading guilty to the offences which happened when he was stopped in his Ford Focus near Penryn on August 10 last year.

Waller admitted assault by beating PC 8707 Strike and was given a 12-month community order requiring him to do 250 hours of unpaid work. He was also ordered to pay £100 in compensation to PC Strike due to the nature of the assault and the fact it was on a police officer.

Waller was found to be driving his Ford Focus while over the drink drive limit when he was stopped by police on an unnamed road at Treverva near Penryn last year.

For this offence he was also disqualified from driving for 16 months, ordered to pay Crown prosecution costs of £85 and a surcharge of £114.

He also pleaded guilty to driving his car whilst there was cocaine in his system. For driving motor vehicle with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the specified limit he was also given the same penalty.