A police investigation is under way after a man claimed arresting officers gave him an unlawful beating, a court heard.

Richard Andrew, 24, broke a woman police officer's nose when he recklessly flailed his arm after downing eight pints of lager.

He alleges male officers then used excessive violence to restrain and arrest him.

Andrew, of Crossdale Avenue, Buttershaw, pleaded guilty to assaulting PC Simone Rotherforth and causing her actual bodily harm.

Prosecutor Bashir Ahmed told Bradford Crown Court PC Rotherforth and a male colleague found Andrew asleep in his car in Huddersfield Road, Wyke in the early hours with his eyes closed but the engine was revving.

The officers say Andrew was abusive and aggressive, "intoxicated and out of control".

PC Rotherforth was struck in the face with his flailing arm and suffered a fracture of the nasal cartilage.

It took six officers to restrain him and get him to the police station.

Stephen Wood, Andrew's barrister, said officers from the Discipline and Complaints department of West Yorkshire Police were investigating claims of excessive violence.

The judge, Recorder Mark Cran QC, said assaulting a police officer usually led to immediate custody.

But Andrew suffered "a fairly serious amount of injuries" himself.

The judge sentenced him to six months' imprisonment suspended for 12 months, coupled with a supervision order