A 14-year-old boy seriously injured a police officer after climbing behind the wheel of a car, a court heard.

PC Richard Smeed was taken to hospital following the incident in Cuxton Road, Strood, in the early hours of April 24 last year.

Jonathan Higgs, prosecuting, said the youth, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, accepted that the officer made a lawful attempt to stop him.

"The defendant had no intent to stop, but sought to drive round the officer," he said. "It is accepted by the Crown that the defendant did not intend to hit him.

"He was intending to drive round him, but perhaps in view of his age and lack of experience, that did not happen."

Mr Higgs said the boy accepted that PC Smeed’s injuries were attributable to him and that, as a matter of law, they amounted to grievous bodily harm.

The teenager, now aged 15, was due to stand trial at Maidstone Crown Court this week on charges connected with the incident.

But he pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and a judge sent the case back to youth court for sentence.

Mr Higgs said further statements taken about the injuries the officer suffered led the Crown to the view that it was the correct charge, rather than causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

The boy, who lives in Strood, was in custody, having been sentenced by another court for a separate offence and was due for release in March, said the prosecutor.

Fiona Rowling, defending, said the acceptance of the charge came after the latest medical evidence. "At first blush, it looked as though the injuries were less serious," she said.

She stressed that it was important that the case should be concluded as quickly as possible and the youth court could be the quickest way of doing so.

Judge Veronica Hammerton agreed that the youth court was the best place for sentence to be passed.

The boy’s 17-year-old brother was last year detained for 18 months by magistrates for his part in the incident.