A homeless man found 'slumped' in his van attempted to drink a bottle of lager in front of a police officer before he was arrested, a court heard.

Charles William Mothers, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty at Weymouth Magistrates Court to failing to provide a specimen as someone in charge of a vehicle, assaulting an emergency worker, driving a vehicle otherwise in accordance with a licence and using a vehicle on a road without third party insurance.

Prosecuting, Siobhan Oxley, said on May 31 this year a driver witnessed a white van blocking a road and then a short period later saw the vehicle drive off towards Sturminster Newton.

The witness was said to have then seen the van driving slowly before stopping on a hill and rolling backwards 'about 15 feet'. Ms Oxley said the witness got out of his car as he was concerned for the driver but said the van then took off at speed.

Police in Sherborne located the Ford Transit van and found the defendant 'slumped'.

Ms Oxley said the officer 'eventually managed to wake the defendant up' and that Mothers' speech appeared to be slurred.

The court heard that Mothers then picked up a bottle of lager in front of the officer who took the bottle off of him, before Mothers reached down for another bottle.

Mothers was said to have then become agitated and aggravated, was arrested and taken to a police vehicle.

He made several attempts to get out and kicked one of the officers twice in the leg.

The defendant was taken to Weymouth custody where he refused to take a sample of breath for analysis.

Mitigating, Patricia Sheehan, told the court that Mothers was someone who, for a long time, had been homeless.

She said the van had been given to him very cheaply and that he was living in it for a couple of months on a site in a safe place.

However, the owner of the site where the van was parked was said to have given the defendant 'absolutely no choice' but to move the van off.

Mrs Sheehan said: "That's the only reason why it was on the road. By the time police arrive it's right to say that Mr Mothers didn't react well at all.

"He is doing quite well now and is taking steps to resolve housing.

"He was at home in the van before the person kicked him off the site and said he had to go."

Chair of the bench, Romana Phillips, adjourned the case to September 1 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared. Mothers was released on unconditional bail