Police sergeant Mark Andrews has been freed just six days after being jailed for assaulting Pamela Somerville.

The 37-year-old Melksham custody sergeant was jailed for six months last Tuesday after a court in Oxford saw CCTV pictures of him hurling 59-year-old Ms Somerville headfirst into a cell in July 2008.

She was left unconscious and is still suffering vision problems.

Andrews' defence team appealed against the sentence immediately after the hearing.

At a 30-minute hearing in Oxford today Judge Julian Hall was persuaded the 6ft 3in former soldier should be let out of jail before an appeal against his conviction and sentence is heard.

As he was sentenced at the same court last Tuesday, Deputy District Judge Peter Greenfields told him: "You presided over an atmosphere of fear and bullying.

"Miss Somerville was emotional and communication with her was not easy. However it's aggravated by your position of trust and abuse of authority."

Today Judge Hall heard a review hearing will be held on October 18 before a full appeal hearing, lasting five days, begins later in the year, on a provisional date of November 15.

Andrews was not present for the half-hour hearing at Oxford Crown Court at which bail was granted.