A roofer who rode a stolen motorbike at a police officer, sending him sprawling in the road, has been jailed up for 16 months.

James Pinch sped off, leaving PC David Sanderson on the ground while one of his two pillion passengers turned to make an obscene hand gesture at the stricken officer and shout abuse.

The officer, who had been dealing with a collision in Sturla Road, Chatham, at the time, was shaking so badly he could not operate his radio properly and had to activate an emergency button to call for assistance.

He suffered extensive bruising to his body, and in a victim impact statement he later described he had trouble sleeping and his confidence had been affected.

“I am shocked that someone could have such disregard for police and the uniform,” added PC Sanderson, who at the time had been in the force for 25 years.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Pinch, 20, lied after he was arrested, claiming he had been shopping with his mum and then visiting his grandparents. He also said his grandfather would give him an alibi.

But prosecutor, Alex Balancy, said he did quite the opposite: “He said James Pinch had attended (his home) with two friends and that they had knocked a policeman or police car and then disposed of the motorbike.”

Pinch, of Ryde Close, Chatham, admitted taking a vehicle without authority, dangerous driving, assault causing actual bodily harm, driving without a licence and without insurance.

The trio had been stopped by PC Sanderson in August 2013, for not wearing crash helmets.

As he stood three foot in front of the bike, Pinch, then aged 17, revved the engine before riding the Honda CBF125 deliberately at him.

Three people in the street witnessed the incident. One took a photograph which enabled Pinch to be traced.

The court heard Pinch had also appeared before magistrates earlier that day for an offence of shoplifting.

Passing sentence, which included a 26-month driving ban, Judge Charles Macdonald QC said immediate custody was “amply justified”.

“You deliberately revved up the bike and rode it straight into him, using it as a weapon with your two friends on the back. You made off and left him to his fate.”

He said Pinch had continued to commit crime in 2014, including driving without a licence and aggravated vehicle taking, and breached a court order in 2015.

Pinch was not charged with theft of the bike as it had been stolen and dumped by others.