The driver of a stolen Land Rover who deliberately reversed the vehicle into a police motorcyclist has been jailed for three years.

Alan Plimmer, aged 24, of Swinford Road, Selly Oak, was convicted of two aggravated vehicle taking charges, one of attempted bodily harm and one of trying to pervert the course of justice after a trial at Warwick Crown Court. He was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday).

Plimmer was said to have taken the Land Rover in Bromsgrove on November 28, 2001, and was confronted by the police in Stourbridge Road, Catshill, later that day.

Passing sentence, Judge Charles Harris, QC, told Plimmer: "This all stems from an incident in which you took the Land Rover and drove it dangerously.

"You crashed into one car, rammed a police car and drove backwards deliberately to collide with a police motorcyclist in an attempt to elude capture."

The judge went on: "Fortunately the officer, Derek Chandler, was not seriously injured. It's a bad case. You then escaped by getting into another car driven by a friend and that too was driven dangerously."

The charge of trying to pervert the course of justice took place on February 20, 2002, when Plimmer provided police with details of a false alibi.

In mitigation, Jennifer Joseph said the offences were committed by Plimmer shortly after he had overdosed on antibiotics.