A POLICEMAN convicted of assault after a drunken night out in Dorchester while he was off-duty has been sacked.

Dorset Police have confirmed PC Pete Lawrence was dismissed from the force yesterday.

A force spokesman said: “Following criminal proceedings PC Lawrence was subject to internal disciplinary procedures which have now been completed.

Yesterday he was dismissed from Dorset Police.”

Lawrence, who has worked as a detective on undercover duties, was ordered to do community work, pay £1,000 costs and £1,000 compensation after arming himself with a knife and confronting a friend putting the weapon to his throat.

He was convicted of common assault following a trial at Gloucester Crown Court and was sentenced in February.

The jury had cleared him of assaulting Simon Slade causing actual bodily harm but found him guilty of the less serious offence.

Lawrence said the whole thing had been a joke to scare and embarrass Mr Slade.

Lawrence was given a community order with a requirement to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.

The judge in the case, who said he was prepared to treat it as a ‘drunken prank which went wrong’, said he would be very surprised if Lawrence is allowed to remain a policeman in view of his behaviour that night.

Lawrence, 42, who has been in Dorset Police for 17 years, had been suspended on full pay since the time of his arrest last March.