Crooks with hundreds of previous offences jailed after Black Country crime spree

The crimes included the theft of two vans - one during a robbery - and a supermarket raid during which £6,000 worth of cigarettes were taken by a masked gang, a judge heard.

One of the stolen vans was written off and £5,900 damage caused to a police car rammed during the seven month long law breaking spree, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.

The Mercedes Sprinter van was spotted by police just before midnight being pushed by two men with a third at the wheel to avoid waking the family at the house in Sutton Road, Walsall from which it had been stolen off the driveway moments earlier on May 6, explained Mr David Bennett, prosecuting.

The vehicle stopped for a short time after being ordered to halt before reversing at speed into the police car slightly injuring the two occupants.

The driver abandoned the van and ran into adjacent Fallowfield Road where he leapt into a rear seat of a Renault Laguna which squeezed between the wrecked police car and dumped van before driving off. It was found abandoned with its engine smoking in nearby Wood End Road five minutes later.

Stephen Ball and Paul Payne were found hiding up a tree after their trail had been followed by a police dog which also captured Robert Darby - who had driven the van into the police car - and bit him on the arm after a chase.

The trio were given bail pending further inquiries and on September 18 31-year old Payne was in a five strong gang who broke into the Tesco supermarket in Hurst Road, Coseley in the early hours with a circular saw and escaped with the haul of cigarettes.

His mask slipped during the burglary and he was arrested after being identified from CCTV footage.

Ball, aged 29, and 50-year-old Reece Morris stole a van after the former took the ignition key at screwdriver-point from its driver who was making a delivery in Bilston on December 8. The van - which they hoped was packed with Christmas presents - was fitted with a tracker device and quickly traced to St Johns Road, Tipton where it reversed into a police car before the two men were caught.

Darby from Central Avenue, Tipton who had previous convictions for 144 offences admitted theft, dangerous driving and driving when banned. He was jailed for 15 months.

Ball of Turner Street, Tipton with 71 previous offences, pleaded guilty to theft, robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. He was locked up for three years.

Payne from Broad Street, Coseley, who had 28 previous offences, pleaded guilty to theft and burglary and was locked up for 19 months. Morris of Elizabeth Avenue, Bradley, with 78 previous offences, admitted robbery and was put behind bars for 20 months.