A 24-year-old man took the keys from a police van after officers had stopped to help a woman in the street.

Grant Lawrie ran off with the keys then punched a police officer who confronted him.

As a result, Lawrie is back behind bars. He had been released early from a previous sentence when he committed this latest offending.

Lawrie, formerly of Hillview, Cowdenbeath, has been living in a scatter-flat in Glenrothes recently.

He appeared for sentencing at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.

He admitted that on October 1 outside Partners, High Street, Cowdenbeath, he entered a marked police vehicle and stole a set of keys.

Then he assaulted a police sergeant by punching him on the head.

Depute fiscal Amy Robertson said that at 1.35am a police van was flagged down by members of the public outside Partners nightclub.

A female needed assistance and the officers got out of their vehicle to help her.

Lawrie went into the police van and honked the horn before running off.

Shortly afterwards he returned, took the keys from the vehicle and ran off.

He refused to say what he had done with the keys when questioned by the officers. He told them to “f*** off” before punching one of them in the face.

The depute said the keys were never recovered and the vehicle could not be used until it was re-programmed at a cost of £400.

Defence solicitor Stephen Morrison said: “In sobriety, he recognises the folly of his behaviour. He can’t remember what happened. The suggestion seems to be this started off as a prank. Drink is his problem.”

Sheriff Wylie Robertson jailed Lawrie for ten months.