A man who called 999 claiming he had been robbed by a taxi driver ended up punching and kicking the officers sent to help him, a court has heard.

Alan Shaw, 22, said he had leapt out of the taxi when he woke up to find the driver trying to go through his wallet.

But when police turned up, they arrested him after he started swearing at them.

When asked if he was wasting police time, he said yes, Kingston magistrates were told on Tuesday.

Prosecuting John Shepherd said: “Unsurprisingly they arrested him for drunk and disorderly behaviour.

“PC Keeley put on one handcuff on one wrist and he swung with his elbow. He didn’t hit either of the officers but it went toward their face.

“At that point they had enough of him and tried to restrain him. He asked them if they wanted some and lunged out with his left leg.

“He was then put on the ground by both of the officers and there was a struggle between all three of them with him continuing to shout and swear and he kicked Keeley in the cheek.

"He says it was accidental. It is quite clear he was kicking out and there were people within striking distance.”

But defending him, Shahnaz Sargent said: “It wasn’t a phone call to waste time.

“The cab driver drove him around somewhere in Kingston. He started touching Mr Shaw and he realised the cab driver was going through his pockets to try and find money.”

When they accused him of wasting police time he had been “sarcastic and facetious”, she said.

Shaw, of Tynemouth Street, Hammersmith, was ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work and pay £200 compensation including £50 to each officer.

• Get the latest crime figures in our Local Information section