A MAN who launched into a violent rage at a house party and lashed out a police officer trying to restrain him, causing him to hit his head against a wall, has been jailed.

Karl Kuhne, of Duke Street, Banbury, had been at the party with friends at Ruskin Walk, Bicester, on March 14 this year.

The 39-year old was drunk and an argument ensued, Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing on Thursday.

While he was in a back garden, other revellers, who were concerned at his growing aggression, went so far as to lock the door so that he couldn't get back inside.

Prosecuting, Alexandra Bull, said: "He was drunk and aggressive and it was locked to prevent him from re-entering.

"He began bashing on the door and the police were called."

When he at last got back inside, she told the court, he went on to punch a friend who had come to the party with him, striking him in the head.

Police arrived soon after and tried to subdue him, using police spray to calm him down, but to no avail.

Miss Bull said: "He was brought downstairs and he was verbally abusive to police and he violently pushed past police officers struggling with him.

"He continued to try to get away and police used spray on him. At this then he threw his arms out at a police officer who fell and hit his head on a brick wall."

She added: "He said that he regrets the officer's head was hit and said he never meant for that to happen."

The court also heard how he had 31 previous convictions for a range of offences since 1998, including for criminal damage and assault.

In mitigation, his defence team said that he was a self-confessed alcoholic and that despite efforts to combat this, he had fallen into bad company and since relapsed.

Sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle said that the whole incident had been fuelled by his addiction to alcohol.

He said: "I hope you come out of prison with a real resolve that you will put that part of your life behind you.

"It was not a deliberate assault on the police officer but you pushed out while drunk."

For the three offences of causing criminal damage, assaulting an officer and common assault, and in light of a previous suspended sentence which was activated, he was jailed for 17 months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge.