POLICE officers were attacked by a mob of more than 50 people as they tried to make an arrest in Tredegar, a court heard.

One constable needed hospital treatment, and officers eventually used CS spray to break up the crowd, after an "ugly scene" in the town centre, Cardiff crown court was told.

Prosecutor Robert Buckland said the officers used CS spray to break up onlookers who became hostile and abusive and threw missiles as police attempted to arrest a rugby player who allegedly indecently exposed himself.

Yesterday, Ricky Price, aged 24, of Twyn Stars, Dukestown, Tredegar, admitted a charge of affray. Sentence was deferred for six months and he was ordered to attend an alcohol abuse programme.

Two 16-year-old youths admitted a charge of using threatening words and behaviour. One was sentenced to a community punishment order for 100 hours and warned by Judge William Gaskell: "Learn from this experience. If you do it again you will be in a young offenders' institution."

The other had his sentence adjourned for preparation of a supervision order programme.

Mr Buckland said that on Sunday, April 13, a rugby player allegedly indecently exposed himself in the town centre.

Police gave chase, but more than 50 people - including the defendants - gathered, and missiles were thrown.

PC Neil Cooper was hit with a stone and taken to hospital. A window of a police car was smashed and a second vehicle damaged.

Mr Buckland said Price had tried to calm things down, but after being hit on the head by what he thought was a police baton, shouted: "I'm going to kill you all, we're going to have you," and the youths also became abusive.

Describing it as "an ugly scene", the judge said: "Your behaviour, frankly, was contemptible."

Speaking after the court case, Blaenau Gwent councillor Brian Thomas - chairman of the police liaison committee in Tredegar -said: "We've got to make an example of these people."

At the time of the incident he compared Tredegar with the Wild West.

He said yesterday: "The town centre has calmed down slightly, though not a lot. All the towns in the Valleys have problems at the weekend."

Chief Superintendent Ian Johnston, head of Gwent Police in Blaenau Gwent and Caerphilly, said: "We will continue to work to ensure that we address the current levels of disorder in Tredegar."