Ebbw Vale: Drug-driver who wrote off police car jailed

A driver who wrote off a £40,000 police car in a drug-fuelled high-speed chase has been jailed.

Dino Price, 22, of Wentloog Road, Rumney, Cardiff, admitted dangerous driving, affray and driving without a licence or insurance.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how he used his van as a "battering ram" in Oak Street, Cwm, Blaenau Gwent, forcing police officers to abandon their car.

He was given a three-year driving ban and was jailed for 12 months.

Footage captured on the police dashcam showed Price driving at up to 80mph (128km/h) through narrow country lanes and terraced village streets on 30 August.

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He sped through junctions and forced other drivers to take evasive action before he turned into a dead end road in Cwm and was blocked in by police.

The court heard that Dino Price made police officers fear for their lives

He then wrote off the Seat Leon police car by reversing into it twice in a bid to move it out of the way as officers desperately tried to stop him with their Tasers.

The court was previously told Price had no previous convictions and had been using cocaine due to a deterioration in his mental health.

Recorder Carl Harrison told him officers feared for their lives during the incident.

"This was a summer's evening in August when schools were on holiday. Residents said young children had been in the street on pushbikes shortly before the incident," Gareth James, prosecuting, said.

Jac Brown, defending, told the court Price was of previous good character but had fallen in with the wrong crowd and was under the influence of cocaine.

"Mr Price did make admissions at the scene, saying he shouldn't have done what he had done and expressed remorse for officers and their families.

"He has apologised and wants to seek help for alcohol and drug abuse."

Mr Brown asked the court to consider a suspended sentence as it was his first offence.

But Recorder Carl Harrison said the offences were so serious only a custodial sentence could be justified.