Within six days of his release from prison a man was involved in a police chase in a stolen car which ended with him crashing into another vehicle.

Leeds Crown Court heard yesterday (Wednesday) that Christopher Collins was let out on licence on June 3 from a three year sentence for burglary.

On June 9 an officer spotted him behind the wheel of a Hyundai Santa Fe car which had been reported stolen by burglars from outside a house in New Mill Road, Holmfirth early the previous day.

Chloe Fairley prosecuting said that was a plain clothes officer in an unmarked police vehicle so he alerted his control room and a marked police car joined in behind Collins putting on blue lights and siren to pull over.

Police pursuit, Woodhead Road, Honley
Police pursuit, Woodhead Road, Honley

That was ignored and he continued driving both undertaking and overtaking other vehicles and narrowly avoiding a collision with an HGV travelling in the opposite direction which had to take evasive action.

He then approached a crossroads in Woodhead Road controlled by traffic lights and drove through ignoring that it was on red for him.

Video Loading

Miss Fairley said Collins made no attempt to stop and struck another vehicle which was correctly going through the lights causing it to spin 360 degrees in the middle of the junction at Station Road, Honley.

That car was driven by a 79-year-old man and his 77-year-old wife was treated in hospital for back pain after the collision.

When Collins stopped the officer tried to get him out without success and when he continued to rev the engine the unmarked police vehicle pulled in behind him to block him in.

Collins then reversed into that car causing some damage before he was finally arrested. He also had some injuries.

Police pursuit, Woodhead Road, Honley

The court heard he had six previous convictions on his record for dangerous driving.

Gillian Batts representing Collins said although he had those convictions the current case was the first time his driving had involved a collision and injury to someone else and it had finally brought home to him the potential consequence of his actions.

On his release he had found himself housed with others with similar drug problems and had drifted back into his old ways. He was now clean in prison.

Collins, 31 of Clare Hill, Huddersfield admitted dangerous driving, handling the stolen car and a Rolex watch also taken in the burglary, having no insurance or licence.

He was jailed for 30 months and disqualified from driving for three years. Recorder Paul Isaacs told him he had an “appalling” record.