A police officer who punched a man in the face as he was trying to dance with three female colleagues in a Bristol bar was in a relationship with one of them, a misconduct panel heard.

PC Jedd Perry is accused of launching an "unprovoked and unjustified attack" out of anger while off-duty in the Green House, although he insists he was protecting PC Jennifer Daly from the unwanted advances he saw as an "assault".

Giving evidence on day two of the hearing at Avon & Somerset Police headquarters in Portishead, PC Perry's friend and colleague PC Al-nashir Bandali said the man had been "trying it on" with the three off-duty women on the dancefloor but that he had seen no reason for the attack.

The female constables had turned their backs to the man and tried to ignore him when PC Bandali said he saw PC Perry's fist fly past his vision and hit the man twice in the face.

The Bristol-based officer is also accused of making a discriminatory comment to another colleague, PC Madalina Davies, of Romanian heritage, on a separate occasion in his flat at the end of another social work night out earlier that month in August 2021.

PC Bandali, told the hearing on Wednesday, November 2, that everyone was laughing and joking until PC Perry told PC Davies: "Go back to Romania."

He told the panel: "The mood went a bit downbeat at that point, a few people said 'You can't say that'.

"Using someone's identity to attack them with words, that crosses the line."

He said PC Perry did not make the comments aggressively or angrily.

PC Bandali said: "I was quite new in service at that point but looking back I definitely should have raised it at the first opportunity.

"At the time I just thought it was all resolved that night.

"It came out that the person it was directed to was not happy and had taken it personally."

Asked about the fight in the Green House 12 days later, PC Bendali said did not see the man touch any of the three off-duty female officers, as claimed by PC Perry, despite standing next to them.

"I was aware Jedd was in a relationship with Jen [PC Daly] at that point.

"So a male trying it on with Jen…"

The panel was told previously that PC Perry felt justified to hit the man because he had seen him touching PC Daly's lower back in a bid to get her attention, a claim the force's barrister said conflicted with her testimony and CCTV footage.

PC Bendali said that as the fight resumed outside the pub on College Green, in Bristol city centre, he and another colleague intervened and separated the pair, with PC Perry suffering a cut above his eye.

PC Perry, who is suspended from duty, is accused of fleeing the scene and failing to return to speak to attending officers.

He admits two counts of misconduct but denies either amounts to gross misconduct.

The officer is alleged to have breached the standards of professional behaviour for police officers in terms of honesty and integrity; authority, respect and courtesy; equality and diversity; discreditable conduct; and duties and responsibilities.

The hearing continues today (Thursday, November 3).