A DRUNK man shouted "boom" as he threw a children's bike through the rear windscreen of a police car.

Stuart Andrew Mclean, 29, of Little Hereford Street, Bromyard, admitted causing £2,000 worth of criminal damage to the back bumper and windscreen of the car when he appeared before Magistrates last week.

Clare Linehan, prosecuting, said that the incident happened when police were on patrol in their marked vehicle in Ledbury during the early hours of January 1.

She said: "Police stopped to speak to a member of the public and got out of their car.

"A male ran towards the rear of the vehicle and picked up a children's bike before holding it over his head and throwing it into the rear of the police car causing the window to smash and further damage.

"As he did it he shouted 'boom' and then ran off."

One of the witnesses named Mclean and, after police carried out checks, they went to his property and arrested him.

In interview, McLean said he was drunk and didn't know what made him do it.

Chris Morgan, mitigating, said that Mclean apologised and admitted it was a stupid thing to do.

"He was outrageously drunk and nobody was hurt," Mr Morgan told Hereford Magistrates Court.

"It was an inconvenience to the police but at least the damage was to a vehicle owned by the public service.

"I wouldn't suggest this is part of a spree and is an isolated incident. The compensation does seem high for a windscreen and a couple of dents."

Chair of magistrates Roger Wild said that it was a "very expensive moment of madness" but said that police had not provided a breakdown of the damages.

Mclean was given a 12 month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay £1,000 compensation, £135 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.