A man who stole a police car on a night out in Crayford has been jailed for 10 weeks.

Ricky Stevens, 25, jumped in the Ford Focus and drove up to 100m down Iron Mill Lane while two female police offers were struggling to deal with his rowdy brother and two friends.

The foursome had been out together at the Bear and Ragged Staff pub in London Road on the night of April 12 when they were asked to leave at about 9pm because of their disruptive behaviour.

Stevens and his 27-year-old brother Arron, both of Bosworth House in Saltford Close, Erith, had words with the doorman as they were ushered out.

Prosecutor Rachel Mahony told Bexley Magistrates’ Court today: "They began kicking the pub doors trying to regain entry.

"Ricky Stevens started throwing beer bottles towards the pub windows and kicked through a glass window next to the door."

The brothers and friend Aaron Dwyer, 35, were then joined by Lee Hendy, 25, who had still been inside the pub while they were trying to force their way in.

The group set off on foot down the middle of Crayford Way, stopping a bus in its tracks and forcing it to turn its engine off while one of them kicked it.

Two female police officers arrived and drew their tasers after being charged at by the foursome.

News Shopper: Four men arrested after windows smashed at Crayford pub

Stevens smashed a window in after being thrown out of the Bear and Ragged Staff. 

Stevens then got in the police car with the key still in the ignition and drove off, stopping only to jump out and flee on foot.

After handing himself in to police at 12.45am the next morning, unemployed Stevens admitted to officers it was a "stupid thing to do."

Miss Mahony told the court: "He didn’t know why he did it but it was a good idea at the time.

"He did realise he didn’t have a licence and didn’t really know how to drive."

Stevens pleaded guilty to one public order offence, criminal damage to the pub window valued at £300, taking the police car without the owner’s consent and driving it without insurance and without a licence.

District Judge Nigel Dean sentenced him to a total of 10 weeks in prison and banned him from driving for a year.

On July 21 Hendy, of Flatford Drive, Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, and Arron Stevens both pleaded guilty to public order offences and were ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £20.

Hendy was fined £120 and Stevens £65.

On May 20 Dwyer, of Knox Road, Clacton-on-Sea, admitted criminal damage and a public order offence and was fined £300, ordered to pay compensation of £100, costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £30.