PC Simon Harwood said at Southwark Crown Court that he was "sorry that I got involved".

Harwood hit 47-year-old Tomlinson with a baton and pushed him to the ground during the protests in London in April 2009.

Tomlinson, a father of nine, walked 75m after the incident before he collapsed and later died.

In court today, Mark Dennis QC asked Harwood: "You do now accept that what you did in relation to Mr Tomlinson was wrong?"

Harwood, 45, said: "Like I said, now I do, but not at the time. Now I've seen all the evidence ... I'm sorry that I got involved. I shouldn't have hit him with a baton and pushed him."

Harwood denies manslaughter on the grounds that he used reasonable force.

Tomlinson was walking away from police lines when the incident took place.

Patrick Gibbs QC, for Harwood, asked him: "If you knew then what you know now from looking at the footage, would you have hit him with your baton?"

Harwood replied: "I would not have gone near him."

He added that he would not have pushed Tomlinson if he had known he was drunk at the time.

The trial continues.

Image: Getty