A DRUNKEN car thief who knocked a police officer unconscious when he crashed head-on into his vehicle as he tried to flee was ordered to carry out 200-hours unpaid work for the community and banned from driving for three years.

Craig Palmer, 25, stole the Suzuki from outside a house in Kent on January 10 but the next day Palmer and his younger brother David Palmer, 21, who was in the passenger seat, were followed by police after they fled an Esso garage in Grays without paying for petrol.

During a six-mile chase Craig hit two police cars, which had tried to stop him by blocking the road, but in his desperation to escape he ploughed into PC Mick Finch's van in Falcon Avenue, Grays.

The dog handler, who is based at Laindon, was knocked unconscious and had to be cut free from his police van.

The crash happened just hours after PC Finch and his German shepherd, Brennan, who had to be sedated following the accident, were awarded bravery commendations.

At Basildon Crown Court today Recorder Philip Brooke-Smith QC also sentenced Craig to eight-months in prison, suspended for 18-months, and ordered him to attend a drink impaired drivers programme, telling him: "All of these are very serious offences indeed and you will realise, I am sure, the inherent dangerousness to other road users if you do as you did on that occasion."

Recorder Brooke-Smith QC sentenced David to 120-hours unpaid work for the community after accepting he did not "initiate" the offences.

Craig pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle, driving without insurance, failing to stop, drink-driving and making off without payment at an earlier hearing.

David, an apprentice electrician, admitted aggravated vehicle taking.

Both defendants, of Upper Street, Maidstone, were ordered to pay £192 costs.