A 20-stone man used his bulk to rock a moving police car from side to side before putting on the handbrake and sending it out of control.

Oxford Crown Court heard the police car, which was travelling at 60mph, went down a bank at the side of the road. It turned over, leaving its three occupants trapped inside.

Adrian Higgins, prosecuting, said Mark Rowbottom, 38, of Stockham Park, Wantage, had been arrested and was being taken to the police station when the incident happened.

He said police had not managed to handcuff Rowbottom, who was being 'difficult' and tried to smash a car window with a head rest. Mr Higgins told the court: "The defendant started swaying from side to side and caused the car to rock violently.

"He was then heard to say 'Let's have some fun' and he reached down and put the handbrake on.

"The car was travelling at 60mph. It hit a grass verge, left the road, went down a bank and rolled over so it ended up on its roof. All three occupants were trapped inside."

Rowbottom then swore at officers telling them they had 'ruined his day'. The two officers were both left shocked and with cuts and bruises. Rowbottom had originally been arrested after he repeatedly kicked a football at a neighbour's fence.

When the neighbour complained, Rowbottom threatened to smash the fence, 'glass' the neighbour and dump him in the canal.

He then drove his car at the neighbour's garage door, causing £327 worth of damage. He had drunk three-quarters of a bottle of wine and a litre of whisky at the time of the offences.

When police arrived, Rowbottom was waving a fire extinguisher around, which he refused to put down.

He pleaded guilty to criminal damage, affray and interfering with a motor vehicle.

Nigel Daly, defending, said his client, who has previous convictions for dishonesty, had 'just flipped' and would never offend again. Judge Anthony King sentenced Rowbottom to nine months in jail and told him: "What you did was wholly irresponsible and wholly reckless. The consequences could have been absolutely devastating to the occupants of the car, including yourself.

"This involved an attack on police officers who were merely doing their job."

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