A serial car thief crashed a stolen Range Rover at 120mph with the owner's terrified assistance dog trapped inside. Nicholas Oakland, 30, was jailed at York Crown Court after he took Matthew Wilson's Range Rover using the keyless entry system while Matthew was inside a corner shop.
However, Matthew's Doberman assistance dog, Jake, was in the car when it was stolen from Acomb, North Yorkshire, in February last year. Oakland drove the 4x4 at 120mph, racing around the streets of North Duffield.
North Yorkshire Police officers then deployed a stinger device, which burst the car's tyres and forced Oakland to lose control of the car. The car crashed into a field and rolled several times - all while Jake was still in the car.
After getting out of the car, Oakland was arrested, but the terrified dog ran off down the road. Sadly, Jake had to be put to sleep after the accident as he developed spinal injuries during the crash.
Traffic sergeant Julian Pearson said: "Oakland’s driving posed a serious risk to other road users as he drove the stolen vehicle in an appalling way. Thankfully with the use of specialist police resources we were able to quickly bring the vehicle to a stop less than 30 minutes after it was reported stolen.
"He showed no regard for the safety of the family dog that was in the rear of the vehicle. It was imperative that we quickly located Jake after the collision and ensured he received immediate veterinary care and returned to his owners.
"This case has touched everyone involved in the investigation and we all wished that Jake made a full recovery from his injuries. Sadly this wasn’t to be and Jake passed away a few weeks later. Jake was a family member, a loved one and will be dearly missed."
Footage of the crash will be shown on an upcoming episode of Channel 5's Traffic Cops, which follows North Yorkshire Police officers.
