A SCOOTER rider dragged a policeman down a road when he tried to make a getaway, a court heard.

Kevin Bird “panicked” when he was approached by police in Dines Green, Worcester, because he did not have insurance, a licence or an MoT certificate for the scooter.

Sarah Stock, prosecuting at Worcester Magistrates Court , said officers saw Bird pull up at an address in Gresham Road at 4.15pm on Saturday, July 28, and suspected the moped he was riding was stolen.

As they pulled their squad car across the driveway, Bird turned the moped around to face the road.

Mrs Stock told the court an officer shouted at him to stop, but the 21-year-old drove across some grass and the pavement, clipping the rear bumper of the car.

She said one policeman got out of the car and gave chase on foot. He grabbed hold of Bird who continued to ride the scooter and dragged the officer with him. The policeman then threw Bird off the bike and the defendant landed face down on a verge.

Mrs Stock said Bird was arrested and interviewed, when he admitted he decided not to stop because he did not have any documents and had been drinking, although he was not over the limit.

The officer who tackled Bird had grazing and swelling to both knees and damage to his trousers as a result of the ordeal.

Bird, of Spenser Road, Dines Green, admitted five charges – driving without insurance, driving without a licence, driving without an MOT, failing to stop and driving without due care and attention.

Mark Turnbull, defending, said his client owned the scooter but had only recently bought it and had not sorted out the paperwork. Bird had panicked and behaved “out of character” as these were his first driving offences.

Magistrates fined him £100 and banned him for six months for each offence of driving with no insurance and without due care and attention. The bans will run concurrently and no separate penalties were issued for the other offences.

Bird must also pay £85 costs, a £15 victim surcharge, £300 compensation for damage caused to the police car and £100 compensation to the officer.

The bench ordered his moped be destroyed as it had been used in the commission of crime.