A MAN has been jailed for six weeks after he threw a mobile phone at a police car.

Officers were travelling on Derby Street when the object was thrown at their vehicle in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

They pulled over and arrested 20-year-old Steven Quinn and he was charged with attempted criminal damage.

The police car was not damaged when it was hit and the Nokia mobile was also still working and in one piece when it was recovered by officers.

Police said the motive behind throwing the phone are still largely unknown.

Quinn, of Stathom Avenue in Warrington, appeared at Bolton Magistrates’ Court the same day and was sentenced to three weeks in prison for the offence.

He was handed a further three weeks in prison because this offence was committed whilst he was subject to a suspended sentence.

Quinn was already serving a suspended sentenced after he appeared before North Cheshire Magistrates’ Court on November 23 last year where he was convicted of obstructing a police constable, assaulting a police constable, two counts of criminal damage and a public order offence.

At the time he was handed a number of suspended sentences, including one of three weeks for assaulting a police officer in Warrington on September 28 last year.

The court found that the offence of attempted criminal damage was so serious they could not suspend it and also decided Quinn would not comply with a non-custodial sentence.

PC Paul Ashworth, of Greater Manchester Police's specialist operations road policing unit, said: "I hope this highlights to people that actions have consequences and that behaviour like this won't be tolerated.

"The motive for his actions is still largely unknown but fortunately no damage was caused.

"This could have easily been any other road user and the results could have been more serious.

"For whatever reason he chose to behave in such a manner that has now resulted in him spending time in custody to reflect and face his punishment.

"As for 'The Falcon' (nickname for police car) amazingly no damage was caused by the Nokia mobile phone which was still working and also in one piece."