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Sheffield Crown Court heard on March 27 how motorist Tyler Bradley, aged 22, Houstead Road, near Handsworth, Sheffield, was spotted getting into a Vauxhall Vivaro delivery van that had previously been reported stolen and he fled at speed as officers put on their emergency lights.

Prosecuting barrister Katherine White said the van set off from Stephenson Way, Waverley, Rotherham, and went to Highfield Spring and through a red light before heading to Treeton Lane and Main Street, and around the Parkway and M1 motorway travelling at speeds of 80mph in a 30mph zone.

Ms White added Bradley went to Whitehill Lane and Bawtry Road, at Brinsworth, Rotherham, mounting a pavement and travelling the wrong way around a roundabout, the wrong way up a dual carriageway and he also struck the bumper of another vehicle before stopping and fleeing on foot with two passengers at an industrial estate.

A police helicopter helped South Yorkshire Police track a dangerous Sheffield driver as he was being pursued by officers in a vehicle who had spotted the motorist in a stolen van.

Judge Jeremy Richardson KC said: “It was deplorable driving. It was a miracle no one was injured. It’s a miracle there were no other collisions apart from the unhappy event at the end of the episode.”

The court was shown aerial camera footage of the four-minute police pursuit taken from a police helicopter above Rotherham and Sheffield before Bradley and one of the two passengers Cohen Roberts, 31, of Ravenscroft Crescent, Richmond, Sheffield, were arrested.

Ms White said the stolen £3,000 Vauxhall Vivaro delivery van had originally been taken by two individuals after the delivery driver had dropped the vehicle keys on Smelter Wood Road, Richmond, Sheffield, on October 22, 2022.

Bradley, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and dangerous driving.

Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, has heard how a Sheffield motorist who admitted aggravated vehicle-taking and dangerous driving was given a suspended prison sentence and his passenger, who has more previous convictions, was given a custodial sentence after he admitted aggravated vehicle-taking.

Roberts, who also has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking after being the passenger in the Vauxhall Vivaro.

Defence barrister Laura Marshall, representing Bradley, said: “I make no excuses or justification about the offending. It was appalling and to try and justify the driving this defendant undertook would not be sensible. We see driving like that with far more serious outcomes and he is lucky not to be facing a far more serious charge.”

But Ms Marshall added that Bradley, who is working, has been immature but there are promising signs he is starting to grow up.

Rebecca Tanner, defending Roberts, stressed her client had only been the passenger and he has been using his time constructively since he has been in custody, having been recalled and incarcerated concerning another matter.

Judge Richardson said the pursuit had taken place on both sides of the M1 motorway in Sheffield and Rotherham and had involved swerving and excessive speeds.

He sentenced Bradley to 12 months of custody suspended for two years with 200 hours of unpaid work, a six-month monitoring requirement and a 12-month driving ban.

Roberts was sentenced to eight months of custody to run alongside a current custodial sentence for another matter so he can be released at the same time that both custodial terms are completed. Roberts was also disqualified from driving for three years and four months.

Police helicopter helps officers track dangerous Sheffield driver during high-speed pursuit