Watch moment car thief crashes Range Rover he stole in Yorkshire - with owner's dog inside that later died from its injuries

App developer Matthew Wilson’s Doberman assistance dog Jake had to be put to sleep due to spinal injuries sustained in the collision in a field in North Duffield, near Selby, back in February.

Car thief Nicholas Oakland, 30, was this week jailed at York Crown Court after the judge heard he took the Range Rover using the keyless entry system while Mr Wilson was inside a corner shop in Acomb.

Police gave chase and deployed a stinger device which burst the car’s tyres, forcing Oakland to lose control and he rolled the 4x4 several times.

Jake was able to escape from the boot and ran away from the scene before a police officer found him around half a mile away.

He initially appeared to have escaped serious injury and was treated by a vet, but weeks later was put down.

Oakland was jailed for 19 months and disqualified from driving for three years and nine months when he was sentenced on Thursday.

Mr Wilson, who has autism and ADHD, said he had lost his “best friend” and travel companion after Jake’s life was cut short.

He said: “The past few months have been extremely traumatic for our family. Jake wasn’t simply a family pet but a trained support dog, a companion, and my best friend.

“We had travelled to over 22 countries together and were planning on more adventures before his life was cut short.

“We continue to miss our boy Jake every day and it still difficult to comprehend the unnecessary injuries and suffering that he had to go through which ultimately resulted him in losing his life.

“We wish to thank North Yorkshire Police for being so supportive and caring during this process and making sure that justice was served for Jake.”

Mr Wilson had a tracking device fitted to the Range Rover and was able to help police by giving live updates on its movements.

CCTV operators were also monitoring cameras in the York area and they were able to track the movements of the vehicle.

And less than 20 minutes later, officers from North Yorkshire Police were following the car on the A19 heading towards Selby.

Oakland proceeded to drive at high speeds on the A163 whilst dangerously weaving in and out of heavy rush hour traffic.

At one point, he nearly caused a head-on collisions with other innocent members of the public and forced motorists to take evasive action.

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.”