A MAN who assaulted a police officer, stole a car and had cannabis on him has been given a suspended sentence and disqualified from driving.

Lee Johnson, 40, of Ermin Street in Swindon tried to run from officers when they visited a house on Covingham Drive on June 6 following reports of a disturbance.

Officers stopped him from running away, then he hit one of them while being arrested on suspicion of taking a car without consent.

The officer received minor injuries.

Later that month, on June 30, patrolling officers found a metal baton in Johnson’s bag after stopping and searching him and another man on Dorcan Way for acting suspiciously.

The police arrested Johnson for having the baton, then found two small bags of herbal cannabis and one bag of cannabis resin on him while taking him to the police station.

The offender pleaded guilty to all charges when he appeared at Swindon Magistrates Court on July 13.

For the July 6 incident, Johnson was ordered to take part in a drug rehab programme, disqualified from driving for 18 months, given a restraining order which prevented from going to the Covingham Drive address, ordered to pay compensation to the injured officer, and sentenced to 12 months in prison which were suspended for 18 months.

For the second incident, Johnson was ordered to take part in a drug rehabilitation programme and sentenced to 12 weeks in prison, which were suspended for 18 months.

PC Michael Porter, the officer who stopped and searched Johnson on June 30, said: "This was a good result and this incident is a good example of how useful stop and search can be when an officer suspects something illegal is about to or has taken place.

"Being able to use these powers in this case means a potentially dangerous weapon has been taken off the streets of Swindon."