Leeds man stole his step-father's Range Rover 'for devilment' and wrote it off in crash during high speed police chase

Declan Gill was locked up for 20 months after a court heard how he drove on the wrong side of a dual carriageway and reached speeds of more than 90mph on busy main roads in Leeds.

Leeds Crown Court heard Gill took the car after going to his mother's home on March 22 this year and asking to stay there for the night.

Michael Smith, prosecuting, said Gill was allowed in but left soon after.

His mother's partner then noticed his Range Rover, worth £6,000, was missing.

The theft was reported to police and officers saw Gill driving the vehicle on Armley gyratory at 5.30pm that day.

The 21-year-old then drove at 97mph along Canal Road in a bid to get away from the officers.

Mr Smith said Gill went through a red light on Stanningley Road and drove on the wrong said of the dual carriageway.

He drove at 50mph along Armley Ridge Road before returning to Stanningley Bypass on the wrong side of the carriageway.

Gill crossed the central reservation and drove the wrong way down a slip road.

He then mounted a pavement and crashed the car into bollards.

The Range Rover had to be written off due to the damage caused.

The defendant ran from the vehicle but was caught nearby.

Gill, of Wyther Park Mount, Armley, Leeds, pleaded guilty to theft, dangerous driving, having no insurance and having no licence.

At the time of the incident he was out of prison on licence for an offence of robbery.

Sean Smith, mitigating, said: "He does not get on with his mother's partner and for reasons that he can't really explain, other than for devilment, he took the keys to the vehicle and went off.

"The defendant knows he has done wrong and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity."

Jailing Gill, judge Simon Batiste said: "It was a staggeringly bad police chase.

"It is incredibly good luck that no one was hurt or even killed by what you did."

Gill was also banned from driving for three years and ten months.