Two police officers became "incapacitated" after a thug grabbed their Pava spray and used it on them, a court heard.

One of the officers had sprayed Tony Parr in the face when he became aggressive while refusing to take a breath test, but it had little effect on him.

The 33-year-old then got hold of the canister - similar to a pepper spray - and struck back after telling the PCs: "I am going to spray you".

“He discharged bursts into both the officers’ eyes,” said prosecutor Abigail White.

“They pressed their panic buttons as they were incapacitated. It caused considerable pain.”

The attack happened on the A2 at Gillingham on May 3, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

Parr, of Blackman Close, Hoo, was on bail at the time for possessing an offensive weapon, a flick knife, and assaulting a plumber colleague and a police sergeant in Surbiton in November 2016.

The male and female PCs had seen two cars parked in the middle of the road outside a restaurant.

One of them was Parr’s VW Polo, but he was not entitled to drive it because of invalid insurance.

Miss White said the officers saw that Parr’s pupils were dilated and he smelled of alcohol.

He refused to be breathalysed and said he wanted to film the matter.

He was told he couldn’t and one of the officers then activated a body worn camera to film the scene.

“They attempted to restrain him but he threw up his arms and tried to back away,” said Miss White.

“He was arrested for being unfit through drink or drugs.

“They decided they needed to use their spray on him. He was increasingly violent. They were on a busy roadside. He replied: 'Spray me you ----'.

“The officer discharged the spray with one short, sharp burst in the face. It didn’t have the desired effect as his eyes were still open. He turned his head away.”

He then turned the tables on the officers. He was eventually arrested.

Parr admitted possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing an offensive weapon, assaulting his work colleague, three assaults on police and failing to give a specimen of breath.

He has 46 previous offences on his record, including assaults on police.

Sean Sullivan, defending, said Parr had a psychotic illness involving an anti-social personality disorder caused by drink and drug abuse.

“This was unusual behaviour for anyone to engage in and it must have an underlying reason of his mental health,” said Mr Sullivan.

Parr had served the equivalent of a 15-month sentence on remand and it was submitted a similar term could be passed to allow his release.

But Judge Martin Joy said Parr posed a high risk of causing serious harm to police officers “he tangles with as he has in the past”.

“There has to be a custodial sentence to mark your aggressive behaviour and demonstrate that those who carry weapons must be severely punished.

Jailing him for 21 months, he added: “I can’t accept a submission to pass a sentence that will allow your immediate release.”