Three convicted after lengthy police pursuit which ended in Staffordshire
It spread over three different force areas
Three men have been convicted of multiple offences for their involvement in a vehicle pursuit which spanned three separate policing areas.
All three of them appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court and pleaded guilty to a number of offences.
Jamie Caddick, aged 42, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking.
Michael Caddick, aged 42, of no fixed abode, admitted the same offences in addition to driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.
Thomas Taylor-Dowson, aged 43, of York, pleaded guilty to the same offences in addition to driving without a licence, taking a vehicle without consent, failing to provide a specimen and two counts of assault by beating.
The court heard how the trio took a Mercedes Sprinter van without consent in North Yorkshire in February.
The van failed to stop and was followed into Derbyshire where it deliberately rammed two police carriers.
Then, after failing to stop on numerous occasions, the van made its way into Staffordshire. Taylor-Dowson got out of the van and forced his way inside a parked Audi at a car garage in Etruria, Stoke-on-Trent. He ran over a man’s foot in his attempts to escape but was quickly apprehended by members of the public and officers who arrested him at the scene.
Luckily, the man only suffered a bruised foot.
Both Michael and Jamie Caddick continued in the van and tried to lose police by driving onto the oncoming carriageway of the A50.
A short time later, they tried to steal another car but were unsuccessful. They carried on driving in the van until colleagues from the National Police Air Service (NPAS) spotted them running into an address in Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent.
Police forced their way inside and arrested both of them.
All three were questioned in custody and later admitted to the offences in court.
They will be sentenced together at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court at a later date.
Detective Constable Howard Davies, who dealt with the case, said: “I’d like to thank our colleagues at North Yorkshire Police, Derbyshire Police, National Highways and NPAS in helping bring a stop to these offenders who were prepared to risk the safety of the public to escape the law.
“Whilst a number of officers are trained in how to pursue cars safely, our primary focus was ensuring the vehicle did not endanger fellow motorists and pedestrians in its dangerous attempts to avoid capture.
“Thankfully, the incident was brought to a safe conclusion and those responsible are now serving justice for their actions.”