'Career criminal' jailed for 6 years after Birmingham crash
David Poulton admitted to a string of driving offences.
A career criminal who ploughed a stolen vehicle into a car carrying a family-of-five after an 80mph pursuit has been jailed for six years.
A boy aged five suffered a bleed on the brain and is now undergoing rehabilitation to learn how to talk again.
His brother aged three suffered less serious injuries, while the three adults suffered injuries including a broken femur.
Traffic officers spotted the stolen Ford EcoSport, which was being driven by David Poulton near Dartmouth Circus.
Poulton, aged 41, sped away from officers, driving on the wrong side of the road and through red traffic lights.
He ended up on the wrong side of the Heartlands Parkway before hitting the VW T-Cross and injuring the three adults and two children inside.
The family had travelled to the West Midlands from the South to visit their in-laws for Eid, and were on their way to Star City.
Poulton was arrested and taken to hospital to be treated for minor injuries after the crash, which happened just before 2pm on 30 April.
The car had been stolen in February from a Morrisons car park in Coventry, and Poulton was wanted for making threats and criminal damage at the time of the arrest.
Poulton, of no fixed address, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, disqualified driving, failing to stop for police, driving without insurance, handling stolen goods, and failing to provide a specimen of blood for analysis.
He also admitted possession of cannabis, and the offences he was wanted for at the time. He has more than 40 previous convictions.
On Friday, (10 November) at Birmingham Crown Court he was jailed for a total of six years, and banned from driving for 18 years.
Sgt Richard Adams, of Birmingham CID, said: “This was an appalling case of dangerous driving.
“He showed a complete disregard for other drivers, and once he decided to speed the wrong way down a busy road, a collision was inevitable.
“It was pure luck that he or other people weren’t killed.
“Thankfully the family involved are all making good recoveries.”