An ex-con on early release from prison fled from police with a handcuff hanging from his wrist after they tried to arrest him for a motoring matter.

Officers had detained banned driver Oliver Reed 41, after he drove away from traffic police who had stopped on suspicion of speeding earlier in the day.

But when a Sgt Paul Rees tried to restrain Reed, who has more than 150 previous convictions, he lashed out and escaped with the cuffs attached to his wrist.

By the time he was finally arrested, after more than two months on the run, he had removed the metal bracelet from his arm.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court Reed was driving a Vauxhall Agila in New Road, Royal Wootton Bassett, when he was pulled over on April 22.

They did not know he was banned but as they thought he was speeding said he must undergo a breath test, but he refused and drove off.

She said they had car's registration number so officers went to the home of the registered keeper, in Calne, to find out who was driving.

While they were there Reed arrived saying he had just got a taxi back from having a pizza and had not been behind the wheel.

"Sgt Paul Rees decided to handcuff him and managed to get the cuffs around his wrist. He said 'What are you doing, I'm not having this'," Miss Squire said.

"He pulled away, the cuff still attached to his wrist. He struggled with two officers. They talk about him just exploding swinging his arms with closed fists.

"He was successful in that he managed to get out of the address with the handcuffs still attached to that wrist."

He was finally caught on June 30 after being spotted in Haydon Wick by an officer aware of the April incident, though he again ran off and was found by a police dog brought in to help the search.

Reed, formerly of Woodroffe Square, Calne, pleaded guilty to escape from lawful custody, driving while disqualified and failing to provide a specimen of breath.

The court heard he has a long list offending and received four years and four months in April 2012 for burglary and growing cannabis.

Rob Ross, defending, said what ever sentence was passed on his client it would have little impact as he had been recalled under the previous sentence until March 2016.

He said: "The irony is had he simply stayed and provided a sample, he hadn't been drinking, he would only have faced driving while disqualified."

Mr Ross told the court that the escape matter was not the most sophisticated offence of his kind.

Judge Tim Mousley QC said: "These offences were so serious of course that only a custodial sentence can be justified.

"You are someone with a long history of offending and you are 41. In July last year you were sent to prison for driving matters and assaulting a police officer and in January for failing to surrender to custody."

He jailed him for six months and banned him from driving for three years.