This is the shocking moment a policeman batters a man to the ground with his baton after quizzing him about his car numberplate.

Brutal phone footage of the violent encounter shows a man surrounded by five police officers in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain, as they reportedly question him about his car.

But as he tries to answer their questions, one of the officers draws his extending baton and slashes him viciously across the face with a sweeping backhanded blow.

As the man falls to the ground, more officers close in manhandling him and pulling him around the pavement.

The images were filmed in a nightlife area of Jerez in the early hours of 6th December and later caused fury when they were shared online.

Some called for the sacking of the officer, a member of the city’s Local Police group.

Municipal Security representative Ruben Perez told local media: “We are surprised, shocked by these images. We don’t like them at all, but this has to be investigated.

“Expressing my views on an event without having the complete picture would not be prudent.”

Perez added: “In any case, a one-off event cannot tarnish at all the work of the local police here in the city, which is perfect and excellent.”

Teresa Rodriguez – spokeswoman for the left-wing organisation Adelante Andalucia (Forward Andalusia) – wrote on social media: “We are going to ask for the immediate expulsion of this person who should no longer carry a baton, a gun, and a badge.”

Since late November, Jerez has hosted numerous Christmas street parties called zambombas, which have led to complaints from locals over public alcohol consumption, noise, and altercations.

In the early hours of Christmas Day, a fight outside a nightclub in the city ended with a driver repeatedly ramming street brawlers, resulting in three injured, one seriously.

Two people were arrested on 27th December on charges of attempted murder.