A serving Angus policeman who received an award for bravery has been accused of grabbing a man by the genitals in a nightclub assault.
Rodney Hamilton is charged with fighting Michael Woodburn in a popular Arbroath nightspot earlier this year.
The 45-year-old constable was cited to appear at Forfar Sheriff Court on Thursday facing one charge on summary complaint of assaulting Michael Woodburn at De Vito’s in the town’s Millgate, seizing him by the genitals and pushing him.
The alleged assault happened on February 5.
The case of Hamilton, whose address was given in court papers as care of Tayside Police Headquarters in West Bell Street, Dundee, and was a serving Arbroath PC, was continued without plea to later this month.
A police investigation was launched following reports of a disturbance at De Vito’s, and Police Scotland confirmed that four men were facing charges in relation to the incident.
A spokeswoman said: “Police Scotland can confirm that two men, aged 29 and 21, and two men aged 44, have been charged in connection with a disturbance at a nightclub in Millgate, Arbroath, that happened in the early hours of Friday February 5.
“A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”
Janet Hood, lawyer for De Vito’s, previously said no staff members from the nightclub were involved and the venue had handled the incident well.
She said: “The management of the club are happy for me to advise that the police have told them they were happy with the way club’s management handled the incident.
“They would like to stress that no member of club staff, stewards or management has been charged in relation to this incident.”
Hamilton received a Chief Constable’s Commendation for his bravery as one of four PCs who disarmed a knife attacker who had run into a Forfar crowd and taken a hostage on October 24 2010.