'Dangerous' white van man jailed after police chase through Cradley Heath whilst serving suspended sentence

Shaun Troath "performed highly dangerous manoeuvres" including overtaking vehicles on the wrong side of the road, speeding between two moving vehicles, ignoring red lights, avoiding stingers and crashing into tomatoes whilst being chased by the police. Despite driving a Ford Transit van Troath still managed to avoid capture for 15 minutes during rush hour.

Troath was finally arrested after a mad dash on foot when his Transit was cornered. It soon became clear why the 36-year-old was so keen to avoid capture. He was serving a suspended sentence for dangerous driving and drink driving when he led police through the same streets last September in an Audi.

Appearing stationary in front of Recorder Marc Brown at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, Troath was sentenced to one year ten months after 12 months of his suspended sentence for dangerous driving and drink driving was activated and was handed 10 months for his new offences. 

Troath, of Elm Tree Lane, Cradley Heath, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance for his chase on April 23 during rush hour. 

Prosecuting, Maninder Chaggar said: "At 5.20pm officers spotted the defendant driving a Ford Transit van on Hanover Road. Suspected the defendant was driving the van with cloned plates. The officers drove behind the van and tried to pull him over, there was an unsuccessful attempt deploy a stinger.