Leeds driver who fled police in stolen Mercedes van told by judge: 'Frankly, I'm amazed nobody was hurt'

Colin Mabey was warned that jail was the only option after a catalogue of motoring offences. The 23-year-old from Leeds was driving the Mercedes Sprinter that had been stolen the night before and had been fitted with false registration plates.

Police officers spotted the van waiting at the roundabout at Ainley Top, near Huddersfield, at around 3.20pm on January 4, 2022.

Dash-cam footage from the police car was played to Leeds Crown Court this week which showed the van changing lanes on the roundabout with Mabey clearly becoming aware of the police car behind him. He then took off at speed.

During the 10-minute chase along single carriageway country roads, he mounted pavements, ran red lights and drove on the wrong side of the road to get away. Other vehicles were forced to pull over as Mabey squeezed through traffic to escape.

He was eventually stopped after being boxed in by a police vehicle, before he smashed into a wooden fence by the roadside. Mabey got out and ran but was quickly apprehended.

Mabey, of Newhall Croft, Belle Isle, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving while banned and without insurance.

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He has 12 convictions for 28 offences. The court heard that having been bailed after the van chase, he was caught driving again just nine days later despite being banned. He was then back in court three months later for taking a vehicle without an owner's consent, for which he received a suspended sentence. He was then caught driving while banned twice more in January and May of last year.

A probation report suggested Mabey had been doing well on his suspended-sentence order, and completed almost 100 hours of unpaid work he had been assigned. He was also now in employment as a warehouse operative.

Mitigating, Michael Walsh said of the van chase that Mabey "panicked" after seeing the police. He said: "His thinking skills need to mature. He has a lot of positive influences in his life, including his partner, and he has made a lot of progress."

Judge Ray Singh jailed Mabey for 14 months and said: "It was a shocking piece of driving. Rather than design, it was through good fortune there were no injuries caused. Frankly, I'm amazed nobody was hurt. You have a fascination of taking vehicles that do not belong to you."

He also gave him a 42-month driving ban.