POLICE gave chase in a bid to arrest a man in a group seen acting suspiciously near cars in Franche Road, Kidderminster, Worcester Crown Court was told.

Prosecutor Philip Brunt said 27-year-old Adam Gee took exception when he was threatened with prosecution after a small amount of cannabis was found in his pocket.

He took off down the road and was followed by Pc Richard Allen. He was eventually rugby-tackled and handcuffed, the officer sustaining a hand injury in the process.

Gee, of New Road, Far forest, near Bewdley, pleaded guilty to possessing the drug and assault on police.

He also admitted breaching the terms of a three-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months when he was prosecuted last year for aggravated vehicle taking.

Mr Brunt said Gee was also involved in a fracas outside the White Swan pub in Bewdley in July last year.

He and another man were involved in assaulting a man being dragged out of the pub in the early hours.

Gee pleaded guilty to common assault and the other man had been dealt with by magistrates.

Jason Aris, for Gee, said he was a hard-working man who carried out contracts in his plastering business.

He had already carried out 76 hours of unpaid work ordered in the previous court appearance and was making payments towards the £8,000 compensation which had been ordered.

The court heard that the hand injury sustained by Pc Allen was not serious but he was awarded £250 compensation.

Judge Plunkett said Gee had been "whisperingly close" to going to prison for assaulting a policeman trying to do his job. But he was satisfied that for most of the time that Gee was law-abiding and hard working.

He added three months to the suspended sentence imposed last year and ordered Gee to attend the reducing violence programme supervised by the probation service. He raised the driving disqualification to 18 months.