A MAN was involved in a struggle with police after he objected to them keeping watch on his girlfriend in a toilet with a broken door, a court was told yesterday.

Andrew Evis was woken by his girlfriend shouting at officers who had arrested her after searching their home for a stolen motorcycle.

Evis, 22, of Skelton Road, Thornaby, shouted: "Lay your hands on her and I will cut your head off - get downstairs you pervert."

David Lamb, prosecuting, told Teesside Crown Court there was a struggle on the landing, which ended with Evis and the officers falling down the stairs.

One officer suffered an injured neck and Evis ran off, but surrendered two days later. Evis, who claimed that the fall was accidental, had previous convictions for threatening behaviour and resisting a police officer.

Chris Baker, mitigating, said police had previously taken away one of Evis's motorcycles claiming it was stolen but returned it. He was never charged with theft.

Judge George Moorhouse told Evis: "You know yourself that people who get involved in behaviour like that, resisting arrest by police officers, are committing a serious offence which justifies a lengthy custodial sentence."

Evis was given 200 hours community punishment after he pleaded guilty to affray on June 20.