A THUG attacked two policemen who were chasing him over claims he had been drink-driving.

David Roach, of Houston Place, Elderslie, was seen driving “erratically” through Paisley before swerving and coming to a halt in a ditch at the side of the road.

Both 31-year-old Roach and his passenger Kylie Cumming, also 31, then fled the scene.

The details emerged on Friday when Roach appeared in the dock at Paisley Sheriff Court to be sentenced over the case.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting police officers and refusing to provide a breath test, after prosecutors dropped charges of drink-driving, other assaults and damaging property.

The court heard the incident began in Gleniffer Road, Paisley, at about 2pm on March 21 this year.

After the car ended up in a ditch, Roach tried to flag down passers-by to drive him away from the scene but was unsuccessful.

Police arrived and a foot chase began between them and Roach, which came to an end in a wooded area.

Roach repeatedly tried to punch PC Ross Laughlan, before PC Robert Young intervened and they detained him.

Sheriff James Spy was told Roach had been driving and realised he was under the influence, so pulled into the side of the road to go for a sleep.

It was stated that, when Roach woke up and saw a fire engine, he panicked as he was on bail at the time, so tried to make off.

Sheriff Spy could have jailed him for up to a year but, instead, made him the subject of a 12-month-long Community Payback Order (CPO), which will see him carrying out 150 hours of unpaid work.

The CPO was imposed as a direct alternative to custody and Roach was also banned from driving for 12 months.