A detective suffered a heart attack just days after he was wrongly accused of assault and robbery, a court heard.

Peter Darby was arrested and his home searched after he stepped into a confrontation while he was off duty.

Mr Darby, a detective constable with Sussex Police, was accused of assaulting Liam Goff and taking a ring from him. He told Hove Crown court yesterday that the allegations had been investigated by Kent Police and he had been cleared of any wrong-doing.

He said: "I was devastated by this, I was trashed. I just could not comprehend that it had happened to me.

"I am still on medication and will be for the rest of my life.

"I am on restricted duties and cannot be put in any confrontational role in case it brings on another heart attack."

Goff, 20, of Hilltop Way, Newhaven, denies perverting the course of justice by making false allegations of robbery against Mr Darby.

Kim Halsall, prosecuting, said the officer was off duty and had drunk seven pints of lager with a colleague in Brighton before going to catch a bus home on September 3, last year.

She said Goff was part of a group of rowdy teenagers waiting at a bus stop at the junction of Manchester Street and Marine Parade.

Miss Halsall said Mr Darby watched as comments were made to passers-by, including homophobic remarks to what appeared to be two gay men.

Mr Darby told the court he identified Goff as the ringleader because he was the tallest.

He went over to him and showed his warrant card and badge and told them to stop being a nuisance.

Mr Darby said the group surrounded him and Goff responded by saying: "You and I over there. Let's sort it out." He said others in the group told Goff to leave it out because he was the Old Bill.

Mr Darby said: "I formed the impression in my mind that he wanted to fight. I put my arm out and went to grab him by the scruff of the neck but I found that I had got hold of his windpipe and was squeezing that. I let go and he walked off and the others in the group followed him. I walked off towards St James's Street."

Miss Halsall said two police community support officers were later stopped by Goff's group and shown a bank card which had dropped out of Mr Darby's warrant card holder.

Goff was taken to Brighton police station where he claimed that a ring had been taken from him.

Miss Halsall said Goff then said he did not want to press charges and left.

Detectives went after Goff and took him back but he said he did not want to make a written statement although he agreed to a taped interview.

She said: "He felt humiliated in front of his friends and made deliberate false allegations against this officer."

The trial continues.