Coventry van driver jailed after ramming police car

A door was torn off the patrol car, which had to be written off

A van driver who repeatedly rammed a police car while high on drugs has been jailed.

Paul Neelan, 29, was chased by officers in the vehicle after being spotted driving erratically on New Year's Day in Coventry.

Two officers were hurt as he reversed his van into their car six times before hitting another police car and then crashing on a roundabout.

Neelan, of Cedars Avenue, Coventry, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

He was found guilty of two counts of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm in January.

Paul Neelan was found guilty of two counts of attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm

The officers suffered neck and back injuries but were not seriously hurt, West Midlands Police said.

The rammed police car had its door torn off and was written off.

After crashing on the roundabout, Neelan fled but was chased and found hiding in a garden wearing only a pair of boxer shorts.

Assistant Chief Constable Mike O'Hara called it an "outrageous, sustained attack" on the two officers.

He added the jail sentence "should be a wake-up call to anyone who thinks they can assault members of the emergency services with impunity".