A 'professional and reliable' police officer punched his wife in the street and knocked her to the floor, a court heard yesterday.Walter Remy, an officer in the London Metropolitan force, who lives in Attleborough, lost an appeal against a conviction for common assault against his wife when he appeared at Norwich Crown Court.

A 'professional and reliable' police officer punched his wife in the street and knocked her to the floor, a court heard yesterday.

Walter Remy, an officer in the London Metropolitan force, who lives in Attleborough, lost an appeal against a conviction for common assault against his wife when he appeared at Norwich Crown Court.

Prosecuting, Sattan Al-Musheim said Remy, 33, and his wife Charmaine, 35, were on a night out at DJ's Bar, in Attleborough when Remy decided they should leave.

He said that Remy held his wife by the back of the neck to propel her out of the bar, and prosecution witnesses said that once they were in the alleyway outside, he slapped or pushed her to the ground.

Two door staff, Lee Barry and Paul Day, followed the couple out of the alleyway and witnessed Mrs Remy slap her husband before he hit her in retaliation, knocking her to the floor, said Mr Al-Musheim.

Giving evidence, Mr Day said he and his colleague tried to restrain Remy until the police arrived, but that he kicked out and they eventually let him go.

But barrister Philip Farr, defending, said Remy and his wife had not argued at all, and that the two doormen had assaulted Remy from behind after his wife fell over.

Remy flatly denied hitting his wife or kicking out at the doormen and Mrs Remy said her husband had not hit her and that she had no injuries after the incident.

The court heard evidence from Remy's superior officers in the Met, who described him as a 'professional and reliable' officer who was level-headed and calm in difficult situations.

Remy was originally convicted at West Norfolk Magistrates' Court trial of common assault and threatening behaviour on February 2.

Yesterday, Judge Simon Barham upheld Remy's appeal against his conviction for threatening behav-iour, but said his conviction for common assault would stand.

'After leaving a wine bar, the appellant's wife slapped him and he either slapped or punched her hard enough to knock her to the ground, and she had no visible injuries,' he said.

'I have borne in mind that he is a man of positive good character and reminded myself of the burden of proof. His sentence of a two-year conditional discharge will stand.'

Speaking after the court hearing, Remy said he was very disappointed with the verdict, which he added would leave him unemployed.

Mrs Remy added that she did not understand the verdict after she had stood up in court and said she was not assaulted.