A CAREER criminal who has notched up almost 100 offences before the age of 30 has been jailed again after driving at a police officer sent to detain him.

Lee Hepburn, 29, accelerated in the direction of PC Michael Taylor-Parsons as he drove out of the Party in the Paddock Festival in Wimborne on June 11 last year, Bournemouth Crown Court was told.

He continued driving and also collided with and seriously injured a pedestrian, Andrea Randall-Smith.

Hepburn, of Highlands Crescent in Bournemouth, downed Jack Daniels and Coke before assaulting then girlfriend Shari Mallia in public at the festival for talking to another man.

He has no licence or insurance and has been repeatedly banned from the roads before.

However, as he attempted to evade police called to deal with the assault, he got behind the wheel of Miss Mallia's blue Peugeot.

After colliding with the officer and Mrs Randall-Smith, Hepburn fled the scene, the court heard. He dumped the car at a secluded location but was arrested the following day hiding in the loft of his girlfriend's house.

Mrs Randall-Smith, who was walking on the pavement with her family, was badly injured.

She was taken to hospital, where gravel removed from her face using local anaesthetic.

She also needed stitches to her lip and physiotherapy for her knee.

In an interview with his probation officer, Hepburn dismissed his victim's injuries as "just cuts and bruises".

He admitted charges of dangerous driving, two counts of assault, failing to stop at an accident, driving without insurance and driving when he only had a provisional licence - bringing his total number of offences up to 96.

He has now been jailed for 22 months.

Prosecuting, Stuart Ellacott said: "Witnesses described his driving as aggressive and too fast for the conditions.

"When interviewed by police he said he drove because he wanted to go to the festival and it was cheaper than getting a taxi. When they said he only had a provisional licence he replied 'yes but that's never stopped me'."

Judge Jonathan Fuller said: "With your record, the injuries and the fact the incident was while you had no licence or insurance, I have no alternative but to pass a custodial sentence.

"It's up to you what you do when you are released. It's about time you took your responsibilities seriously."

Hepburn was also banned him from driving for two years and said he would need to take an extended retest before he can get a licence.

In 2006 the defendant's neighbours held a community party when he was jailed for breaching an ASBO 21 times.