A King's Lynn police officer was 'knocked out cold' by a single punch when a man ejected from a pub on Tuesday Market Place launched an attack on him.

Eastern Daily Press: PC Ollie Gilder responds to an incident on Tuesday Market Place in King's Lynn. Picture: Channel 5PC Ollie Gilder responds to an incident on Tuesday Market Place in King's Lynn. Picture: Channel 5 (Image: Archant)

In July 2016, PC Ollie Gilder responded to an incident involving door staff and customers at a nearby pub.

The shocking incident, caught on the town's CCTV cameras, shows PC Gilder talking to door staff as a punter is thrown out by door staff. As he leaves he runs past and throws his pint of beer over Ollie.

"I've been stood with my back to him and he's run behind me throwing the contents of a pint glass over us," said PC Gilder.

Believing the man then continued to run away, PC Gilder turned back to the door staff.

But the thug returned to launch a violent attack - running full speed at PC Gilder before punching him in the head and knocking him to floor.

"One of the door staff has said: 'Watch out, behind you!' And as I've turned my head... I've seen the male with his fist clenched"

Ollie's colleague PC Daniel Brock was operating CCTV that night and describes the frustration of watching on from the control room unable to help - "It was out of nowhere, it wasn't expected. You just saw the male coming towards Ollie, you can't shout out the window, you can't say 'Ollie, look behind you.'"

The man pleaded guilty to a public order offence and assaulting an officer. He was given a £165 fine.

"The fact that for assaulting a police officer you can get fined £165 just shows in my opinion that you can assault a police officer and it is really not going to cost you anything at all. £165 is not much more than a night out," says PC Gilder.

"Sometimes one punch is all that it takes to kill someone."

New laws came into force last November which imposed harsher sentences for those who attack 999 workers - including police officers, paramedics and fire service staff.

Under the Assaults on Emergency Workers Act those who assault emergency workers now face up to 12 months in jail.

Police Code Zero: Officer Under Attack, airs tonight at 10pm on Channel 5.