Career criminal jailed after injuring family-of-five in crash involving stolen car
A career criminal who ploughed a stolen vehicle into a car carrying a family-of-five leaving a child with a bleed on the brain has been jailed for six years.
Officers spotted the stolen Ford EcoSport being driven by David Poulton near Darmouth Circus in Birmingham on April 30.
Police began pursuing the car at 80mph but the 41-year-old sped away, driving on the wrong side of the road and through red traffic lights.
Poulton then ended up on the wrong side of the Heartlands Parkway in the city before hitting a Volkswagen T-Cross, injuring the three adults and two children inside.
The family had travelled to the West Midlands from the South to visit their in-laws for Eid, and were on their way to Star City in Birmingham.
As a result of the crash, a five-year-old boy suffered a bleed on the brain and is now undergoing rehabilitation to learn how to talk again.
His brother, aged three, suffered less serious injuries, whilst the three adults suffered injuries including a broken femur.
Poulton – who was also wanted for making threats to kill and for criminal damage at the time – was arrested and taken to hospital to be treated for minor injuries following the collision.
The car involved in the crash had been stolen in February from a Morrisons car park in Coventry.
Poulton, of no fixed address, admitted to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, disqualified driving, failing to stop for police, driving without insurance, handling stolen goods and failing to provide a specimen of blood for analysis.
He also admitted possession of cannabis, and the offences he was wanted for at the time.
West Midlands Police said he has more than 40 previous convictions.
Poulton appeared before Birmingham Crown Court on Friday where he was jailed for a total of six years and served an 18-year driving ban.
Sgt Richard Adams, of Birmingham Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said: “This was an appalling case of dangerous driving. He showed a complete disregard for other drivers, and once he decided to speed the wrong way down a busy road, a collision was inevitable.
"It was pure luck that he or other people weren’t killed. Thankfully the family involved are all making good recoveries."
