A MAN has has been jailed for more than a year after assaulting two police officers as they tried to stop him drink-driving through a town centre.

Luke Lockley, 24, of Stanley Road, Ponciau appeared in Shrewsbury Crown Court for sentence after admitting taking a motor vehicle without consent, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, driving with no insurance, driving with excess alcohol and two charges of assaulting a police constable. All the offences took place on May 23 in Oswestry.

Lockley was sentenced to three months in prison on the taking without consent and driving over the limit charges, to run concurrently with each other, and one month on each assault to run consecutively.

Nine months of a suspended sentence he had received in September last year for affray and possessing an offensive weapon was also activated, totalling 14 months.

No separate penalties were given for the no insurance and no licence matters.

Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, told the court officers spotted Lockley driving a Red Mitsubishi in Unicorn Road, Oswestry shortly before 4.30am and decided to follow the vehicle after seeing it veer across the road.

He said: “The vehicle went on to Middleton Road, it continued to veer across the road and PC Roberts activated the vehicle’s blue lights and sirens but the car accelerated away from him into College Road.”

The court was told the car later came to a stop and PC Roberts approached and removed the keys.

Mr Edwards said: “The defendant smelled of alcohol and when other officers arrived on the scene PC Roberts intended to put handcuffs on Mr Lockley and arrest him. As the officer reached for the handcuffs the defendant pushed him to the ground and ran from the scene.”

The court heard a chase ensued but Lockley attacked PC Roberts and his colleague PC Fletcher, punching them both to the face a number of times.

Adrian Roberts, for Lockley, said he held a provisional licence and had got in the car to take his brother from Wrexham to Oswestry. He said: “He behaved improperly with the police officers and he bitterly regrets the injuries they suffered.”