A WARRANT was issued today for the arrest of a 24-year-old Berkeley man who has allegedly flouted a court order imposed for offences including aggravated taking of his stepfather's car.

George King, who was living in Stroud at the time of his offences, had received a six month suspended jail term, supervision and an alcohol rehab order when he appeared before Gloucester Crown Court in February.

Today King, now of Fishers Road, Berkeley, was due back before the court for breaching the terms of his sentence by failing to attend supervision sessions on September 18 and 25 without giving any excuse.

There had been a previous breach of the order in March and it was extended by three months as a punishment, the court was told.

A probation officer said: “There has been some communication with his father which has made it evident he is not staying at the address he has given us."

When King was sentenced in February the court heard his stepfather Neil Shadwick was having a drink in the Regal pub in King's Square, Gloucester, when King, then of Hilltop close, Stroud, came in and joined him.

He pointed out that Mr Shadwick's dog had been in the car outside for an hour and a half and he offered to take it for a walk, said prosecutor Julian Kesner.

Mr Shadwick handed King his car keys so he could get the dog out. But King was then seen on CCTV getting into the 2012 Ford Focus with two other men and driving away, said Mr Kesner.

King had to reverse backwards and forwards several times to get out of the parking space near the pub and the vehicle was then seen “kangarooing”, Mr Kesner said.

Police were alerted and an officer saw King drive out of St Aldate Street. A patrol officer put on his blue light to get King to stop but he carried on.

The officer then tried to block King's path with his police car but he drove past on the nearside.

The Focus went along Northgate Street into Spread Eagle Street and then it swerved into Market Parade. The area was busy as it was a Bank Holiday weekend and there were a lot of people, cars and taxis around, Mr Kesner said.

"He went over speed bumps at excess speed, hitting the ground. The car then went into Clarence Street and at that point it collided with a Mercedes taxi close to Grosvenor House at the taxi rank.

"The police went to the car and the defendant was trying to climb into the back seat. The airbag had deployed."

King admitted offences of aggravated vehicle taking, having no insurance and driving not in accordance with his licence on August 25 last year.

King, who did not have a driving licence, had previous convictions for assault, cultivation of cannabis and criminal damage.