A man who verbally abused a female police officer has become the first person to be convicted in Belgium under a law that criminalises sexism in a public place.

The man, whose name was not disclosed, was convicted of sexism, slander and threatening a police officer who was questioning him about suspected jaywalking.

The man was fined nearly £2,680 (3,000 euros) - he did not appear in court, and can appeal against his conviction - but failure to pay the fine could land him in prison, officials said.

About 30 percent of the Belgium's 40,000 police officers are female, according to a spokeswoman for the Belgian federal police

The campaign against sexism has gained momentum in Belgium in recent years - here women hold up a sign that reads 'Stop everyday's sexism in the streets' during a SlutWalk rally against sexual abuse and inequality in Brussels (file picture)

Sexism in Belgium is defined as a remark or action that is 'intended to express contempt', suggests someone is inferior due to their gender or is designed to 'reduce someone to his or her sexual dimension'

'Shut your mouth, I don't talk to women, being a police officer is not a job for women,' the man told the female police officer during the arrest, according to Gilles Blondeau, a spokesman for the public prosecutor's office. The officer arrested him and filed charges.

The verdict was the first conviction since a Belgian law criminalising sexism in a public place was passed in 2014 as an amendment to an earlier law condemning discrimination in general.

The law came into being following an outcry over a documentary of the same year that exposed the abuse faced by women on the streets of Brussels as seen through hidden cameras.

The documentary Femme de la Rue was directed by a film student, Sofie Peeters, and vividly displayed the everyday sexism and sexual intimidation in the Belgian capital, including continuous catcalls, wolf whistles, and jeering.

The film led to calls for action, although laws were already in place criminalising insults, stalking, harassment and public nuisance.

Belgium has strong laws in place criminalising insults, stalking, harassment and public nuisance

The subsequent bill went on the define sexism as a remark or action that is 'intended to express contempt', suggests someone is inferior due to their gender or is designed to 'reduce someone to his or her sexual dimension'.

The crime can be treated as a criminal offence if there has been a 'violation of someone's dignity'.

The conviction took place in November, and went almost entirely unnoticed until a legal magazine recently reported on it.

In an atmosphere charged by the #MeToo movement, the verdict has now drawn extensive coverage in Belgium.

The incident happened in June 2016, local media reported, when a police officer on a routine patrol saw the defendant, who was then 23, cross a street against a traffic light in Zaventem, a town outside Brussels, according to court documents.

When the officer tried to stop him for questioning, he fled and officers chased him on foot, finally catching him in the middle of a local annual fair.

Although several police officers were present, the man only insulted the female officer. 'The case was easy to prosecute,' said Mr Blondeau, as the arrest and the abuses happened in a public space 'with several bystanders serving as witnesses'.

During the arrest, the man claimed to be the victim of discrimination 'because of his dark skin color,' Mr Blondeau said.

About 30 percent of the Belgium's 40,000 police officers are female, according to a spokeswoman for the Belgian federal police.