A SERIAL offender has been jailed for what a policeman said was the most dangerous driving he had seen in his career.

Darrel Keen, of Kings Lane, Norton, near Evesham, crashed into a police car and trapped an officer’s leg in the door while trying to escape in Oxford.

The 31-year-old admitted two counts of dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance on March 4 this year.

Cathy Olliver, prosecuting, said Keen was recognised by a police officer in Abingdon Road at about 10.15am and drove away at speed.

She said in Chatham Road he drove at a police officer while trying to get out of the cul-de-sac, crashed into a police car and injured an officer’s leg.

The barrister said his driving was so dangerous police stopped the pursuit.

Keen was spotted again driving his blue Mini down the A30 near Basingstoke at about 11.30am, Miss Olliver said.

At Oxford Crown Court, she told Judge Peter Ross this time he mounted the kerb and drove on the wrong side of the road in an effort to escape. The prosecutor said once again the chase had to be stopped and one officer said: “I have never witnessed a vehicle driving so dangerously in my career.”

Keen was arrested the following day after police traced the rental car he was driving to his mother.

Miss Olliver added that Keen already has 12 convictions for 23 offences, including for fraud, harassment, drink driving and driving while disqualified.

Graham Bennett, defending, said his client was expecting a prison sentence and knew he should not have been driving.

Judge Ross told the defendant he had displayed two “very, very bad pieces of driving” and sentenced him to 18 months in prison.

He was also disqualified from driving for three years.

 

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