Liam Marshall (19) had tried to give police the slip when they visited his home in Howland, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, on April 8, last year, on suspicion of carrying out a burglary, Peterborough Crown Court heard yesterday.

But Pc Jon Talbot was waiting for him at the back of the house and tried to apprehend him. In a struggle, Marshall – who has a history of violence – poked him in the eye three times.

Prosecutor Craig McDougall said Marshall then hid in a bush before another officer, Andrew Bridge, found him a short time later. But the teenager again resisted arrest and pushed the officer into some bushes and made off. He was eventually arrested on January 9.

Marshall admitted two counts of assaulting a police officer with intent to resist arrest and actual bodily harm. He also admitted stealing a crate of lager from a shop in Orton Goldhay and criminal damage at his mother’s home.

But Judge Sean Enright deferred sentence for six months after hearing how he had turned his life around.

Georgine Gibbs, mitigating, said he had addressed his alcohol problems and got clean of crack cocaine.

The court also heard from Paul Churchill from the city’s youth offending team. He said Marshall had drunk heavily since he was 14 years old and would drink 10 cans of premium strength lager every morning. He said Marshall’s behaviour had “improved drastically”.

Judge Enright told him he faces being locked up for 15 months unless he finds a job to pay the officers compensation, engages with the alcohol team and stays out of trouble before returning to court on November 14.