'One man crimewave' locked up for 19 months after stealing Range Rover with dog in boot - who later had to be put to sleep

Nicholas Oakland, 30, took the car from Holgate Road, York, after its owner Matthew Wilson left the keys in the ignition in February this year. He then proceeded to drive dangerously at speeds of up to 108mph down the A19 towards Selby - at points on the wrong side of the road - before police used a stinger device on the vehicle.

During the chase, Oakland overtook on blind bends and pulled out into oncoming traffic - before the stinger hit two of the tyres. Oakland crashed the car into a field near North Duffield - and police then found Mr Wilson’s terrified Doberman, Jake, in the boot.

Mr Wilson had been waiting with police in York to hear about the dog's return and Jake was tracked by a National Police Air Service helicopter which was able to relay his location to an officer on the ground. Jake suffered from injuries and trauma following the incident. He was diagnosed by a vet as having an injury to his paw, but then days later was reassessed for potential spinal injury. He has since been put to sleep.

Oakland pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at York Crown Court on Thursday (Oct 20). At a previous hearing he had previously been deemed unfit to plead due to mental health issues. Oakland’s defence Allan Armbrister said his client had been very distressed when he had heard the dog had been put to sleep.

Oakland has 45 previous convictions from some 102 offences.

Sentencing Oakland to 19 months in prison, Recorder of York Judge Sean Morris said: “When you are in drink or drugs, you are a one man crimewave. You drove like a lunatic and caused terrible suffering to someone’s precious friend and pet, who had to be put down. Go back to your old ways of drink and drugs, and I’ll be seeing you again.”