A MAN who reversed his car into a police officer after he was followed through Hereford in the early hours of the morning by officers has been spared jail.

Dean White was said to have panicked when he saw blue flashing lights as he was attempting to move his car from a nearby garage to his Beattie Avenue home in Hunderton last August.

Charles Hardy, prosecuting at Hereford Crown Court, said the police received a call around 1.30am on August 26 to a garage where it was believed a group of youths was stealing a car.

He said they followed the Renault Clio which White, aged 21, was driving, for around half-a-mile through Merryhill Crescent and Blackmarston Road. White was said to be driving around 40mph in a 30mph area before another police car tried to block his path. Mr Hardy said the Clio squeezed past on the pavement before hitting an unmarked police car. He said PC Kevin Jones went to speak to White, who then reversed into him, causing him minor shoulder and neck pain.

In an interview, White told police the car was his and that he was driving a friend home and panicked when he saw the police. It was also discovered the defendant had no licence or insurance.

Michael Aspinall, defending, said Ward’s behaviour was “foolish, not malicious” and that he wished to apologise to PC Jones for his actions. Mr Aspinall said it was wholly out of character for a man who played a vital role by looking after his ill mother.

White pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, common assault and driving without a licence and insurance.

For the dangerous driving charge White was given a 16- week prison sentence, suspended for two years. For the assault on PC Jones he was given an eight-week suspended sentence, to run concurrently with the 16 weeks.

He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months, ordered to take an extended driving test before he was allowed back on the road, and told to do 150 hours unpaid community work.