A FORMER soldier used his legs to clamp a police officer in a headlock after taking his mother's car without permission and drunkenly driving around the streets of Kendal, a court heard.

The events unfolded on the morning of October 5, when Kyle Campbell Reyes took his mother’s Ford Ka without her permission while still under the influence of alcohol from the night before.

Prosecutor Mrs Nicola Corney told South Lakeland Magistrates’ Court that at about 7am he was spotted in the car “weaving between lanes” by off-duty PC Robert Kerr, who was driving home from a night shift.

When Reyes eventually stopped the car in Vicar’s Walk, PC Kerr went to speak to him and noticed he was “quite clearly under the influence of alcohol,” Mrs Corney said.

At this point PC Kerr removed the keys from the car and Reyes became aggressive and abusive and kicked him twice, Mrs Corney said.

When PC Kerr told him he was an off-duty police officer Reyes tried to escape by jumping over a nearby fence.

Mrs Corney said as PC Kerr tried to stop him getting away he wrapped his legs around his neck, putting him in a “headlock” with his knees, causing minor bruising and soreness.

PC Kerr managed to free himself before a second officer arrived on the scene and Reyes was arrested.

Jackie Partington, in mitigation, said Reyes, of Kirkhead, Milnthorpe, had taken his mother’s car while “effectively still drunk from the night before”.

She said up until July Reyes had been serving in a reconnaissance regiment in the Army, but had been asked to leave due to his misuse of alcohol and had “difficulty adjusting to civilian life”.

“He regrets his actions and has described them as stupid and says he feels horrible when he thinks about what happened,” she said.

The court heard that after taking the car, Reyes’ erratic driving had caused more than £1,700 of damage to the tyres and bodywork.

He admitted assaulting a police officer, driving while over the legal alcohol limit, driving without third party insurance and aggravated vehicle taking and vehicle damage.

Magistrates released Reyes on unconditional bail and adjourned sentencing to November 12 pending a report by the Probation Service.

Reyes was given an interim disqualification from driving.