A MAN struck twice with a baton after refusing to take a breath test and struggling with a policeman in Ipswich is nearly £400 poorer today.Nigel Kedar, 39, swore at the trainee sergeant when he was asked to undergo a breath test after he pulled over in Burlington Road.

A MAN struck twice with a baton after refusing to take a breath test and struggling with a policeman in Ipswich is nearly £400 poorer today.

Nigel Kedar, 39, swore at the trainee sergeant when he was asked to undergo a breath test after he pulled over in Burlington Road.

Appearing before magistrates at South East Suffolk Magistrates' Court, Kedar, of Elizabeth Drive, Chelmsford, admitted resisting the officer last Sunday .

The policeman had seen Kedar driving his Ford Granada along Portman Road, into Handford Road and then into Burlington Road at 3am.

A rear brake light on the car was not working.

When approached by the officer Kedar, who was displaying a "confrontational attitude", swore at him and said: "I'm going to get a burger."

He then began walking to Norwich Road.

The officer asked him to provide a specimen of breath but he again replied he was going to get a burger.

Kedar was then arrested for failing to provide a breath specimen but when the policeman tried to detain him he continued to try to walk away and a struggle erupted.

During Kedar's hearing prosecutor Stephen Colman said: "The officer put his hands on him, he again began to walk off.

"He continued to walk toward Norwich Road as the officer tried to detain him."

The policeman then drew his baton and requested back-up. He was prevented from getting to his CS spray on his belt because Kedar was holding his arms and grappling with him.

"He was struck twice with a baton, which enabled the officer to get control of him and apply handcuffs," Mr Colman said.

Police reinforcements then arrived.

A breath test revealed Kedar had not exceeded the legal driving limit. The level of alcohol in his system was 25 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath.

The legal limit is 35 micrograms.

Kedar told the court: "I'd had one bottle of beer that night. I was taken to the police station, did a breath test and had a very minimal amount of alcohol in my blood."

Magistrate Jacqueline Holmes fined Kedar £350 and ordered him to pay £43 costs.