A1(M) Durham bridge plunge car thief jailed for 32 months

Hugh Holmes drove a car through the safety barrier on to the A1(M) below

A "despicable" thief who crashed a stolen car from a flyover on to the motorway below leaving his passenger critically injured has been jailed.

Hugh Holmes, 32, had stolen the Vauxhall Astra about 90 minutes before the crash at the A1(M) Bowburn interchange near Durham, on 21 January.

His female passenger suffered a bleed on the brain and a broken neck.

Durham Crown Court heard how Holmes tried to run away from the scene. He was jailed for 32 months.

Holmes was disqualified from driving after a previous conviction

Holmes had narrowly avoided a collision with two other vehicles and had overtaken a line of vehicles at traffic lights before driving through a red light, the court heard.

The car was in a collision with another vehicle on the A177 flyover, at junction 61 of the A1 at the Bowburn interchange roundabout.

It then crashed through safety barriers and landed on its roof on the motorway central reservation below.

The woman was treated at the scene before being airlifted to hospital

The court heard the woman had tried to get out of the car but Holmes would not allow her to.

Holmes then tried to leave the scene and initially claimed his unconscious passenger had been driving. He also refused to supply police with a breath specimen

The woman was airlifted to hospital where she was initially in a critical condition.

The court heard she suffered multiple fractures of the spine and three months later is still using a wheelchair.

Holmes apologised to the woman and the court was told she "appears to have forgiven him".

Police bodycam footage showed Holmes being arrested

Holmes was already disqualified from driving after a conviction in July 2020 for driving having consumed excess alcohol.

In February, Holmes from Tudhoe Moor in Spennymoor, admitted aggravated vehicle taking, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, plus failing to provide a breath specimen and driving without insurance.

The stolen car crashed through the safety barrier before landing on its roof on the A1(M) below

Judge Ray Singh described Holmes' behaviour as "utterly despicable" and said he had an "appalling list" of previous convictions which was "littered with a history of violence".

He said he was constrained on the maximum sentence he could give by sentencing guidelines.

He was jailed for two years and eight months and banned from driving for more than seven years.

A Durham Police spokeswoman said: "Not only did Hugh Holmes knowingly take a car without permission, but he was also completely unfit to be behind the wheel.

"His reckless actions resulted in horrific injuries for his passenger which will affect her for the rest of her life.

"We would like to thank the members of public who assisted in the investigation and those who stopped to help in the aftermath."