Extra jail time for police chase burglar who put driver in coma

Thomas Rose, who is already in prison for burglary, was at the wheel of a stolen Fiat when it struck another car, causing serious injury to driver Kashmir Kaur whom doctors feared would die.

The 22-year-old admitted an offence of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in Dudley Road East, Oldbury, on the evening of November 19, 2018.

Ms Kaur, 60, suffered fractures to both forearms and internal injuries.

In a statement she said was in a coma following the crash and spent about two months in in hospital.

Edward Soulsby, prosecuting barrister, said the defendant sped off with lights off when he was spotted by officers in the car which had been reported stolen.

He was pursued by officers in the Oldbury Ringway area. He went the wrong way along a dual carriageway, went three times the wrong way round an island and navigated a humpback bridge at speeds of about 60mph in a 30mph zone before hitting the other car.

Sentencing him at Wolverhampton Crown Court, Judge Dean Kershaw said: "This was a flagrant disregard for the rules of the road. You knew you had been seen and you took a deliberate decision to drive that way knowing the risk.

"In my judgement this was close to the top of the sentencing guidelines. It was a stolen car.

"You were involved in a police chase, cannabis was in your system. You were driving at excessive speeds and it was a prolonged incident.

"I've been told that you want to make amends.

"You are already serving a two-year sentence for a substantial robbery given this month. You have an appalling record including for many robberies, possessing weapons, burglary and you even have an arson on it.

"It seems to me that the sentence for this current offence should be wholly consecutive. It will start at the end of the one you are now serving."

For the latest offences Rose was jailed for a total of 28 months, reduced from three years, which will run consecutive to the two-year burglary term. He was banned from the road for five years.

He must serve half the sentence, pay the victims' surcharge and must take an extended driving test on completion of the ban.

Mitigating barrister on his behalf Richard Franck said the father-of-two was remorseful of his actions.

"This is an offence which has completely changed this young man since this incident. He did not set out to harm anyone.

"He was himself shocked and appalled and owned up at the scene."

Rose, of no fixed abode but previously from Ettingshall, Wolverhampton, was jailed for two years at Shrewsbury earlier this month for a burglary spree at businesses across the West Midlands in May 2018.

The haul included £25,000 in cash from one firm, while another had more than £11,000 worth of tyres stolen and a third narrowly escaped having £60,000 worth of silver taken.