Police had been called to a Lake Illawarra caravan park earlier on the night of July 18 in relation to reports of an intoxicated man when they discovered Matthew Bill in a state of undress.

Police said he was so drunk that he fell flat on his face when he tried to put his clothes back on.

Bill’s girlfriend piled him into her car and the pair drove off.

However, that was not to be officers’ last encounter with Bill that night.

Less than an hour later police received triple-0 calls relating to an incident occurring in the driveway of a home on Shellharbour Road at Warilla.

When they arrived they saw Bill seated in the passenger seat of his girlfriend’s car, with her in the driver’s seat.

Upon seeing police, Bill yelled to the woman ‘‘go, go, go’’ and put the car in reverse.

He also grabbed hold of the wheel and leant down to put his hand on the accelerator.

The car bunny hopped, clipping a female officer who had leaned in to try and remove the keys from the ignition, on the arm.

Bill was pulled from the car by police and wrestled to the ground.

He fought  arrest, kicking out and struggling to break free.

He was charged with a host of offences, and in Port Kembla Local Court court on Friday pleaded guilty to resisting police and using a weapon (the car) to avoid apprehension.

His lawyer, Matthew Ward, conceded Bill had a terrible record, but said he’d had a long-standing problem with drugs and alcohol, having had his first drink at 12 years of age, and first using crystal meth at 14. He also suffered from ADHD and anxiety.

‘‘His mental health would be of concern to the court,’’ Mr Ward said, although he noted Bill had strong family support and insight into his offending behaviour.

Magistrate Michael Stoddart accepted Bill had substance issues but said he was not convinced the 20-year-old was serious about getting help, noting he’d lasted less than two weeks in a drug rehabilitation program he’d attended.

‘‘On the face of it, it looks like you’re going to spend most of your life in jail,’’ Magistrate Stoddart said regarding Bill’s apparent lack of commitment to kicking his habit.

‘‘If you care about your family, you’re going to care about doing something about yourself.’’

He set an overall jail sentence of 20 months, with a 12-month non-parole period.

With time already served, Bill will be eligible for release in October this year.