A burglar who rammed a police van with his car told a court "that's all wrong that" as he was jailed. Stephen Hooton reversed into officers at speed as they chased him through the streets, allowing him to successfully flee on foot.
Incident details
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, that police on patrol in the Kirkby area received reports of a black Ford Focus being "driven erratically" at around 11am on June 12, 2024. This car was subsequently driven past the officers' van by the now 34-year-old defendant after "taking a corner too sharply at speed".
Derek Jones, prosecuting, described how Hooton, formerly of Woolfall Heath Avenue in Huyton, was then tailed onto Henlow Avenue. While PCs lost sight of the Focus, he then "came out of a side road at speed", resulting in a short chase.
Collision and aftermath
Dashcam footage showed Hooton slamming onto his brakes in front of the police van on one occasion before stopping for a second time on Kersey Road, at which stage he reversed into the other vehicle "at some speed". This caused an estimated £14,000 of damage and left officers with minor injuries.
Hooton was then said to have successfully fled the scene following a foot chase. At this stage in court proceedings, he was heard to remark while appearing remotely via video link to HMP Hindley: "Can I speak to my brief please? That's all wrong that."
But Mr Jones went on to set out how Hooton was later linked to the car by forensic testing to the gearstick and window. He went on to make no comment to detectives following his arrest in December the same year.
Previous convictions and sentencing
Hooton was previously jailed for nine years for conspiracy to commit burglary and conspiracy to steal motor vehicles by the same court earlier this year, having formed part of a gang who broke into a series of homes and stole "powerful and high value" cars from their driveways. He is not due to be released until November 2029.
Having been afforded a further conference with his client as a result of his comments, Jason Smith, defending, told the court: "There were no pedestrians affected by the driving. The only vehicle impacted was the police vehicle in pursuit. I do not minimise that collision, but it is clear that this is not the worst driving the court has ever seen and certainly not a high speed chase of any kind of duration."
"The main mitigation in this case is perhaps the delay. It has been substantial. There is no excuse. There is no explanation. He has since been sentenced to a very substantial term of imprisonment when this matter could have been dealt with, and, in many ways, should have been dealt with, before."
Hooton admitted dangerous driving and criminal damage and was handed a further year behind bars. However, this will be served concurrently to his nine-year term. He will also be banned from driving for 12 months upon his release, at which stage he will be required to pass an extended retest.
Sentencing, Judge Dennis Watson KC said: "The offences of dangerous driving and criminal damage are serious. However, they were committed over two years ago and prior to you involving yourself in a very serious conspiracy to steal from homes, which resulted in a nine-year sentence being passed."
"I have reached the conclusion that, had this been dealt with at the same time as the conspiracy to burgle, I have a clear feeling that this would have resulted in a concurrent sentence, rather than a consecutive sentence or a sentence aggravated to increase the total sentence because of these offences."
