Driver jailed for police van crash

Andrew Davies - jailed

A MAN has been jailed for 26 months and disqualified from driving for four years after crashing into a police van and leaving an officer with serious injuries.

Andrew Davies (30), of Rochdale Road, Oldham, pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to provide a breath sample.

In the early hours of July 27 last year police officers in Manchester city centre attempted to stop a Fiat Punto, Manchester Crown Court heard yesterday.

The vehicle failed to stop and officers chased it along the A56 towards Altrincham at up to 80mph through 30mph zones.

At Manchester Road and Barrington Road in Altrincham, the car went through a red light and collided with a police van. Davies got out and ran off, but was arrested moments later

Four officers in the van were injured - one of them, PC Joseph Smith, seriously, with multiple fractures to his eye and jaw and five broken neck bones.

PC Smith said: “This was just a normal night on duty for my colleagues and I travelling to an incident, when the next thing I knew I woke up with severe injuries.

“I’m pleased with the sentencing and that Davies has been put behind bars where he cannot pose a danger to anyone else.”