A POLICE officer had his vehicle repeatedly driven into by a banned driver trying to make his escape.

Sam Searson, c/o HMP Edinburgh, repeatedly drove his car into the unmarked police vehicle in Prestonpans while the officer was still inside.

Searson repeatedly aimed the vehicle at the police car in a bid to escape arrest during the incident at the town’s Rollo Court in August.

After he had been apprehended, it became apparent that Searson had been previously banned from driving and had been behind the wheel illegally.

The 27-year-old was also banned from entering East Lothian at the time of the offence after having had an anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) served on him in February.

Searson appeared from custody at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last Thursday, where Sheriff Robert Weir heard the narrative of the case.

Sheriff Weir was told that Searson was on a court bail order at the time.

The sheriff jailed Searson for six months for breaching the ASBO and a further six months for being in control of the vehicle while banned and with no insurance.

Searson was also sentenced to a 16-month prison term for the main offence of driving the vehicle deliberately towards the unmarked police car with the police officer still inside. All the custodial sentences will run concurrently.

Searson pleaded guilty to breaching an ASBO issued on February 14 which banned him from entering East Lothian by entering the county on September 28.

He also admitted driving a vehicle at an unmarked police car and repeatedly colliding with the vehicle occupied by an officer at Rollo Court, Prestonpans, on September 28.

He also admitted driving the vehicle while disqualified at the same location and on the same date.