THREE men celebrated Wales' rugby victory over France by going on a drinking spree and taking a car, Cardiff crown court heard.

The VW Golf was pursued through Tredegar by a police car before going around a roundabout in the wrong direction and crashing into a road sign.

The car, worth more than £2,000 was declared a complete write-off, prosecutor David Elias told the court.

Huw Davies, 29, of Elizabeth Way, Ebbw Vale, described as "the most culpable" of the defendants, was jailed for nine months, disqualified from driving for two years and ordered to take the extended driving test before his licence is restored.

Davies, a glazier, had admitted dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified, and without insurance.

His passengers Phillip Bowen, 22, of Lakeside, Tredegar and Simon Lewis, 18, of Mount Pleasant Square, Ebbw Vale, were each made subject to a community punishment order for 100 hours and a rehabilitation order for one year. Bowen was also fine £400 and each was disqualified from driving for a year.

Both admitted being carried in the vehicle which had been illegal taken and Bowen admitted assault with intent to resist arrest.

Mr Elias said the VW was taken from Picton Road, Tredegar on March 17. Davies drove it at high speed through Tredegar with his two companions as passengers. Near Tredegar bus station, where the road was covered in snow it went the wrong way around the roundabout and shortly after Davies lost control, crashing into a road sign and writing off the car.

"At the time, many members of the public were in the area," said Mr Elias. Davies fled, chased by the police and was found hiding nearby behind two storage containers.

Mr Elias said when Bowen was arrested by Sergeant Jonathan Woods, he kicked him to the left shin.

Mr Elias said Davies was later found to have traces of cannabis in a blood sample. Lewis had cannabis on him and after being arrested, threatened to kill the police and swung punches at them.

All said they had watched the France-Wales game and celebrated the win by drinking a large amount of alcohol.

Peter Heywood, defending Davies, said he accepted he had a drink and drugs problem. Eugene Egan, for Bowen, said he came from a good background and his parents once ran the Bear Hotel, Crickhowell.

Mr Heywood, also defending Lewis said: "In Tredegar he was offered a lift. "The rest is history."