This shocking footage captures the moment a female police officer was punched in the face and had her head repeatedly smashed on the ground in a 'sickening' attack.

Sergeant Kerry Lawrence was responding to reports of a burglary in Basingstoke when she was assaulted by Craig Radbourne, 25, who has now been jailed for three years.

Radbourne can be seen handcuffed and apparently drunk in the back of a police car before protesting about why he was arrested and suddenly lashing out.

He swings his hands into her face through the open car window and pushes Sgt Lawrence to the ground who can be heard yelling as her head is banged on the ground.

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Craig Radbourne, 25, (pictured) hit Sergeant Kerry Lawrence in the head and pushed her to the ground

Sgt Lawrence can be seen lying on the floor (left) as her head is repeatedly smashed on the ground by Radbourne (in blue)

The 25-year-old from Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm yesterday at Winchester Crown Court.

Judge Susan Evans QC described the footage as 'nothing short of sickening' and added that Sgt Lawrence was fortunate not to be more seriously hurt.

The attack, which was filmed from the police officer's body camera on July 6 last year, shows the officer lying down injured on the ground.

She can be heard telling a colleague: 'He smashed my head off the ground'.

Hampshire Police said the attack was a 'traumatic experience' for Sgt Lawrence, describing the assault as 'disgusting'.

A spokeswoman for the force said: 'Radbourne was arrested by the officer on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly. He had been placed in handcuffs and into a police car before additional units arrived.

'However, before officers arrived, Radbourne managed to strike out at Sgt Lawrence, viciously attacking her and banging her head on the ground several times. He was subsequently re-arrested by other officers nearby and taken into police custody.'

Body-cam footage shows Radbourne handcuffed and apparently drunk in the back of a police car

He can be seen arguing about why he was arrested after Sgt Lawrence said he was drunk and disorderly

He swings his hands into her face through the open car window and pushes Sgt Lawrence to the ground

Chief Inspector Simon Dodds said: 'Across the country, police officers work extremely hard to keep their local communities safe. They come to work knowing that their job has an element of risk, as part of their duty to protect the public.

'However assaulting an officer must never be seen as just part of the job. It is unacceptable. This was a disgusting attack on a member of my team, who works tirelessly to serve her community.

'I know it was an extremely traumatic experience for Sgt Lawrence and her family and it also had a significant impact on her team and others at Basingstoke Police Station. I am pleased that the courts have recognised the seriousness of this offence in the sentence passed today.

'Sergeant Lawrence is now back on full duties, which is to her absolute credit.'

Sgt Lawrence is shown trying to defend herself in the attacked which has been described as 'nothing short of sickening' by Judge Susan Evans QC

The female police officer can be heard yelling as her head is repeatedly banged on the ground

Simon Hayes, police and crime commissioner for Hampshire, criticised the sentence as being lenient.

He said: 'I am disappointed that Mr Radbourne has only been sentenced to three years in prison for the extremely violent assault against Sgt Kerry Lawrence. I would hope that he is made to serve the full sentence.

'Through this footage, the judges were able to see for themselves the aggravated abuse that Kerry suffered. BWV provides fairer and faster justice for victims and witnesses, which is why I have made a commitment to equipping every frontline officer and PCSO in Hampshire Constabulary with BWV over the next year - enabling the police to be more effective and transparent in protecting the public from harm.'

John Apter, chairman of the Hampshire Police Federation, said: 'Police officers accept that they perform a dangerous and unpredictable job. I am pleased that the judge has given an appropriate sentence for this vicious and unprovoked attack on PS Lawrence.