A STANFORD-le-Hope resident who attacked and assaulted a police officer who stopped him while driving without a licence or insurance - and carrying drugs - has escaped jail.

Emmanuel Asogbon, 23, of Bramleys in Stanford-le-Hope appeared before Basildon Magistrates' Court recently where he changed a plea of 'not guilty' to guilty after he was accused of assaulting a police constable in Stanford-le-Hope on 2 June last year.

Asogbon also pleaded guilty to driving without a licence and insurance and being in possession of cannabis.

Delivering a sentence that they said was 'aggravated' by being carried out against an emergency worker, magistrates ordered Asogbon to carry out unpaid community work for 140 hours over the next year and pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £240.

He also received six driving penalty points, which will come into force if and when he passes a test.