AN 82-YEAR-OLD former mayor has been found guilty of assaulting two police officers.

Former Gravesham mayor and Conservative borough and county councillor Frank Gibson had denied two charges of assault.

However, on Tuesday (Jan 22) he was convicted of the offences after a trial at Medway Magistrates' Court, Chatham.

Gibson, of Windmill Street, Gravesend, was accused of pushing one officer in the chest and twisting the thumb of another.

The grandfather-of-11 was driving home from church on Christmas Eve in 2006 when police pulled him over in Singlewell Road, Gravesend, on suspicion of drink-driving.

Prosecutor John Fitzgerald told the court officers saw Gibson weaving all over the road. Once he stopped his car, PC Steven Cole approached and said Gibson was reluctant to get out.

After talking to the officers on the pavement, Gibson was said to have pushed PC Thomas McGregor in the chest and twisted PC Cole's thumb.

He was then taken to Gravesend police station for questioning and passed a breath test.

In his defence, the married father-of-six told the court he had been driving carefully to avoid parked cars and did not understand why police wanted him to stop.

Gibson said a police officer came and banged on the window.

He tried to open the door to get out of the car but instead the officer opened it.

Gibson said: "He pulled my arm and he pulled me out of the car. It was gripped very, very tightly indeed. It hurt. I was somewhat bewildered."

He added the two officers took him by both arms to escort him to the pavement but after some discussion he wanted to go home.

Gibson, who suffers from arthritis and walks with a stick, said: "I certainly did not, could not and had no reason to assault the police officers."

Chairman of the bench Angela Howe said the magistrates believed the account given by the police officers and they were doing their duty correctly.

Gibson was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay court costs of £910.