Police in Uganda have arrested an American pastor after a video of him beating a hotel employee was circulated.

Footage from security television cameras installed showed a foreigner, identified later as Mr Jimmy L.Taylor, punching and humiliating a hotel employee. Upon police efforts to effect his arrest Taylor turned rowdy and uncontrollable, and spat on and tried to disarm policemen, according to a police statement.

Taylor called the man employed at the Grand Imperial Hotel several derogatory names - including bitch and the N-word.

Police say Taylor "confessed" to attacking the man, who is identified Francis in the video, saying he suffers from stress and it drove him to launch the attack. The suspect. who claims to be a missionary and a former US Marine. is being held at Central Police Station in Kampala on charges of assault and malicious damage as police continue their investigation.