Police said a driver has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after he mounted the pavement and collided with two officers.

Dorset Police said officers were called to Bournemouth town centre in the early hours of Sunday morning, January 1.

A police spokesman said police received reports of a man who appeared to be drunk sitting in a grey Mercedes on old Christchurch Road.

They said they approached Yussuf Mohamed Mire in his car and asked him to turn off the engine when he “grabbed the steering wheel and accelerated”.

Police said the 35-year-old, from London, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday and was sentenced after admitting dangerous driving.

“He drove onto the pavement, where there were a lot of pedestrians, and made a U-turn,” the spokesman said.

“Two police officers gave chase on foot, and one of them tried to pull Mire from the car.

“Mire responded by reversing his car and hitting the officers, who were forced off the road.

“He then drove off through a pedestrianised area before abandoning his vehicle on Hillside Drive in Christchurch and taking a taxi to return to his address in London.”

A police spokesman said both officers involved in the incident were not seriously injured.

They added that Mire was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.

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