A POLICE officer was injured when he tried to detain a man he saw smoking cannabis in the street at 10.40am.

Blackburn magistrates heard Sadakat Ali ran off when the officer approached and struggled violently when the officer took hold of him and said he was going to conduct a drug search.

The court was told Ali was suspected of having been involved in a drugs transaction but Graeme Parkinson, defending, said his client was adamant he had been smoking a joint and "chilling" and nothing more.

Ali, 20, of Lister Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker acting in the execution of his duty. He was jailed for six weeks and ordered to pay £120 compensation.

The chairman of the magistrates said Ali had been smoking cannabis in public in the middle of the day.

"When the officer went to address that he was subjected to a violent assault," he added.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said the officer was on duty in the Dale Street area of Accrington when his attention was drawn to two men.

He thought they were involved in a drug transaction and when he approached Ali tried to run off.

The officer managed to get hold of him and there was then a violent struggle.

"The defendant was kicking out and at one stage the officer ended up in the floor," said Miss Allan.

"The defendant punched him and then managed to break free but was arrested nearby by other officers."

Mr Parkinson said his client was at the back of the Post Office and admitted to the officer he had been smoking cannabis.

"He wasn't dealing cannabis," said Mr Parkinson.

"The officer was wearing a red jacket, a snood around his face and a black bean hat and when he approached my client he took him by surprise."