Stolen minubus used to ram chasing police
THE driver of a stolen minibus reversed it into a police car four times during a 20-minute chase through estates and villages in Doncaster before it became jammed in an alleyway.
Even then driver Christopher Brian Camm wouldn't give himself up and had to be chased through gardens and overpowered by police officers, a court heard.
The 30-year-old is today serving a 15-month jail sentence after pleading guilty to charges of dangerous driving and handling stolen goods.
The Ford Transit minibus was stolen from Selby Road, Askern, in early August while the driver's back was turned.
Three days later an off-duty policeman spotted it in Skellow with three men acting suspiciously late at night.
He alerted colleagues but when they approached from the rear of the vehicle it reversed into their car and then drove off at high speed down Lodge Road with no lights on.
The vehicle was pursued along numerous streets in Skellow, sometimes at 60mph and then into Beech Road where it again stopped and backed into the patrol car, forcing it back 3ft, said Neil Coxon, prosecuting at Doncaster Crown Court.
Twice more, in Skellow and Burghwallis, the van tried to reverse into the pursuing officers but they took evasive action.
The high speed chase continued into Askern where it turned into an alleyway off Alfred Road, knocking wheelie bins over, before it got stuck trying to turn at the end of the narrow alley.
Mr Coxon said: "The engine was revved and smoke was coming from the rear tyres and Camm did not get out but made good his escape into nearby gardens, where he was pursued and detained with a struggle."
Camm, of North Swaithe Close, Bentley, later admitted he and two other men had been cruising the streets looking for cars to steal when the police approached them.
His criminal record includes 31 court appearances for 75 offences, seven of them for driving while disqualified.
Camm's barrister, Nicola Quinney said: "Clearly it was a bad piece of driving but there was no damage caused to cars belonging to the public or anyone having to take evasive action because the streets were relatively quiet at that time."
The defendant was on drugs at the time of the chase and he wanted to go to prison because his drug taking had escalated since his last prison sentence ended in February.
Miss Quinney said: "He feels the best place to change his lifestyle is in a custodial setting."
Judge Jacqueline Davies sentenced him to nine months for dangerous driving and a consecutive six months for handling the stolen minibus.
She said it was a miracle that no-one was injured or other vehicles were not damaged.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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