Man jailed after dramatic chase in Leeds

A court heard Jordan Cooling, 30, drove into bollards with such force that the vehicle ended up mounted on top of them.

Officers signalled for Cooling to stop when they saw him driving along Dewsbury Road, Beeston, without any lights in the early hours of May 29 last year.

Cooling failed to stop and did a U-turn and mounted the pavement as he was followed by the officers.

Leeds Crown Court heard the car struck a kerb during the pursuit which caused a tyre to deflate.

Alisha Kaye, prosecuting, said Cooling deliberately drove into bollards on Cardinal Road and fled, leaving his partner in the vehicle.

The officers caught him but he managed to get away after a struggle.

He was caught after another chace and one of the officers injured his hand as they detained him.

Cooling was bailed but was involved in more driving offences in November last year.

Miss Kaye said members of the public flagged patrol officers down on Foundry Lane, Seacroft, to say they had witnessed a vehicle being stolen at gunpoint.

The vehicle was recovered two days later in the Armley area of the city.

A receipt from a McDonald’s restaurant in Colton was found in the vehicle. Officers checked CCTV footage from the restaurant and Cooling was found to have been driving the vehicle.

His fingerprint was also found in the car.

Cooling had also driven off from a petrol station on November 20 without paying for £40 worth of fuel.

Cooling was out of prison at the time on life licence for an offence of wounding with intent in 2007. He was recalled to jail after his arrest.

Cooling, of Woodland Road, Whitkirk, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, two offences of driving without a licence, having no insurance, taking a vehicle without consent, driving while disqualified and making off without payment.

He was found guilty of assaulting a constable after a trial. Cooling was jailed for 19 months.

Michael Miller, prosecuting, said Cooling the first driving offence when he panicked after seeing the officers.

Jailing Cooling, Recorder Simon Kealey said: “These offences are cumulatively so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.”