SURFER Koby Abberton, a member of Sydney's Bra Boys gang, faces a possible one-year sentence in a US jail when he appears in a Honolulu court tomorrow on an assault charge.

Abberton is accused of punching an off-duty police officer outside a Hawaiian nightclub in March.

The professional big wave surfer from Maroubra in Sydney, is due before Judge Ray Graulty in Honolulu's Kaneohe District Court complex tomorrow morning Australian time.

Abberton was ordered to appear before the judge a fortnight ago, but failed to show.

Judge Graulty was visibly annoyed when Abberton skipped the court date.

If Abberton fails to appear in court tomorrow it is likely an arrest warrant will be issued, a move that could prevent the surfer competing in events across the US.

Hawaiian prosecutors said they expect Abberton to attend, and Abberton has said he would be spending his 30th birthday "going to court".

Abberton is accused of hitting 27-year-old off-duty officer Richard Puu outside Honolulu's Epic nightclub early on March 8.

Mr Puu told police he was hit while trying to break up a fight involving Abberton.

The assault charge took some of the shine off last month's Hollywood premiere for his family's documentary, Bra Boys, which followed Abberton and his brothers' tough upbringing and the formation of their surf gang.

Abberton proclaimed his innocence on the red carpet at the Hollywood premiere, telling reporters he was a victim of mistaken identity.

In 2006, Abberton received a nine-month suspended sentence in Australia for lying to police over his brother Jai's fatal shooting of standover man Anthony Hines.