Police officers were covered in glass when a rock smashed through the window of their vehicle.

Ryan Thomas, of Erw-Lon, Pen y Cwm, pleaded guilty to affray and criminal damage when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday, September 18.

Vaughan Pritchard-Jones, prosecuting, told the court that two officers arrested a man in the centre of St Davids on suspicion of a public order offence on July 2, 2017, and placed him in the back of the police van.

“The officers had just closed the door and got into the vehicle, when, probably in a moment of madness, the defendant picked up a rock from a nearby garden and threw it through the driver’s side window of the van.”

The window shattered and both the driver and passenger were covered in glass shards as the rock ended up in the foot-well.

The officer drove away a short distance as they feared for their safety in case more missiles followed.

Mr Pritchard-Jones said: “This was a very dangerous act. The rock could have hit the driver, or glass could have gone in the officers’ eyes. There was a potential for serious injury.”

Mike Kelleher, defending, said the case had been hanging over Thomas’ head for more than a year, and he was previously of ‘exemplary character’.

“He has never been in trouble before. He shows genuine remorse and made a full admission to the police.”

He added that Thomas had been drinking out with friends when one of the group was arrested, and did not know why he threw the rock, but it was ‘very unlucky’ that it hit the van’s window.

“If it had just clanged the side things would be very different. He is very remorseful.”

The bench heard that Thomas, 29, had avoided alcohol since the incident and did not go out much.

“It’s a small community and everyone knows what happened. Attitudes towards him have changed, even though he remains the same person.”

Character references were handed to the bench, who were told that Thomas raised money for local charities.

“The officers were clearly very frightened and shaken up by what happened.”

Following a lengthy deliberation, magistrates imposed a 26 week prison sentence, suspended for two years, with 300 hours of unpaid work.

Thomas was ordered to pay £500 compensation to each officer and £119.26 for the window. He will also pay a £115 surcharge and £85 court costs.