AN 18-YEAR-OLD man has been jailed after ramming a car he had paid for using fake bank notes into a police car in an attempt to escape arrest.

Billy Wait, of Prince Street, Pontypool, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court today, charged with tendering counterfeit currency notes, fraud, possession of a controlled drug class B cannabis with intent to supply, and dangerous driving.

He pleaded guilty to all charges.

John Warren, prosecuting, told the court Wait, using his own Facebook profile, responded to an advert on the social media site with interest in buying a Volkswagen Golf in April of this year. Wait then met the car seller at a pub in Bridgend where he paid him £380 in cash.

The court heard £180 of it was counterfeit money - seven fake £20 notes had the same serial number and two others also had identical serial numbers to each other.

Wait also gave the car seller a fake address and fake name. This was reported to the police who then spotted the golf in Newport on May 1.

The court heard that a officer followed the car to Llanwern High School, but he got out and walking towards the car, the defendant revved the engine and accelerate over the curb -driving into another police car.

The police car was shunted back two metres and the officer hit his head on the head rest. Mr Warren said the officer was not injured as a result of the incident.

The defendant and another man then ran off towards the school and a police helicopter was deployed. Officers located Wait and he was arrested.

On searching the VW Golf, police found 16 plastic bags containing one gram each of cannabis, with a street value of £160.

The court heard Wait had six appearances in court for nine offences.

Sarah Waters, defending, said Wait was in possession of cannabis intended for known associates and friends to fund his own drug habit.

Judge Neil Bidder QC sentenced Wait to 86 weeks imprisonment in a young offender institution, including a 26 week stretch for breaching a suspended sentence for previously being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Judge Bidder said it was clear Wait driving into the police car was an offence committed in a 'panic' in a bid to escape, and it was not an extensive period of bad driving.

But Wait was also disqualified from driving for 12 months.