A skinhead has been jailed for attacking a police officer in the aftermath of a race riot.

Thomas Birch, 34, of Baker Close, Abingdon, kicked the officer and punched her in the face as she tried to arrest him on suspicion of violent disorder.

After an outbreak of violence in Aylesbury, the defendant was arrested with 24 others - 11 whites and 13 Asians.

He admitted assaulting WPc Emma Lineham on May 27 this year. He also admitted damaging a police vehicle on May 19, and being drunk and disorderly and resisting arrest on May 24, in Didcot.

Rosemary Fernandes, prosecuting at Aylesbury Magistrates' Court, said Birch struck the officer when police tried to arrest him at a house in Russell Avenue, Aylesbury.

Earlier, a gang of 100 Asians with bottles, iron bars and baseball bats stormed the house, where men linked to far-right political groups were believed to be staying. The attack was sparked by taunts between whites and Asians during the Bank Holiday weekend - although Birch claimed he turned up after it happened.

Gerry Collins, defending, said WPc Lineham's injuries were not very serious. His client had arrived at the house after initial rioting had subsided.

Police had been ordered to arrest everyone in the house. Birch had earlier drunk ten pints of cider and a bottle of whisky and had continued drinking on arrival in Russell Avenue.

Birch admitted to having a serious alcohol problem and that doctors had told him he would die if he did not kick the habit.

He told the court: "Alcohol was my life for ten years. I don't drink water - just alcohol."

Mr Collins said the criminal damage took place when officers arrived at his home in Abingdon on May 19. He said Birch leaned into a red Volkswagen parked on the driveway and accidentally released the handbrake as he tried to grab his coat. The car rolled down the driveway, narrowly missing an officer and crashed into a stationary police car. On May 24, Birch was re-arrested for resisting arrest. He was said to have tried to punch and kick officers as he was taken away.

Magistrates jailed him for a total of five months for the assault, and resisting arrest, and one month for criminal damage to run concurrently.

There was no separate penalty for being drunk and disorderly. The original charge of violent disorder was dropped before the case came to court.