A THUG stole stole his cousin’s car, smashed it into a house and attacked five police officers hours after the end of his prison sentence.

Jason Patmore was drinking at his aunt’s house in Hamlet Drive, Colchester, on Monday, despite family members asking him not to.

He then took the keys to his family member’s BMW and threatened to ram his aunt’s car if she did not move it out the way.

She and a neighbour tried to restrain him but he flailed his arms and struck both of them, Colchester magistrates heard.

The other car was then moved out of the way and Patmore, 25, drove two miles to Barrack Street and crashed the car into the front of a house.

The car was initially stuck but Patmore managed to free it by revving the engine.

One of the people inside approached the passenger side of car where the door was open and Patmore reversed, dragging him along the pavement and colliding with another passerby.

Fortunately, they escaped with minor injuries.

He then drove another two miles to Richmond Road where he crashed into a fence and was later arrested.

As officers attempted to administer a drug test, Patmore destroyed the kit and assaulted four constables.

Patmore, of Galey Green, South Ockendon, admitted a string of charges including dangerous driving, theft, two counts of assault, driving without a licence or insurance, destroying a drug test kit and four counts of assaulting police officers.

The case was adjourned to Chelmsford Crown Court for sentencing on July 4.

Frank O’Toole, mitigating, said Patmore, who has 40 convictions for 90 previous offences, was determined to change.

He said: “He wants to stop offending and has realised this is an opportune time.

“He has come to a fork in his life and he needs to make the right choice.

“He is determined to turn his life around.”

No bail application was made and Patmore was remanded in custody until his sentencing hearing.