York: Man jailed over stolen car pursuit with owner's dog inside

A man who drove a stolen car at more than 100mph (160km/h) in a police pursuit while the owner's pet dog was still in the vehicle has been jailed.

Nicholas Oakland, 30, took the Range Rover from outside a shop in Acomb, York, on 24 February.

Police eventually used a "stinger" to stop the car and arrest him. The dog escaped but died a few weeks later.

At York Crown Court on Thursday, Oakland, of Cecilia Place, was jailed for 19 months and banned from driving.

Police were called to reports that a car had been stolen with a Doberman dog inside it at about 16:00 GMT on Thursday 24 February.

The Range Rover had a tracking device fitted and officers followed the vehicle onto the A19 towards Selby.

Oakland then drove onto the A163, "dangerously weaving in and out of rush hour traffic", a North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said.

He "nearly caused head-on collisions" with other drivers, they added.

A police stinger was used near North Duffield and the Range Rover subsequently crashed and rolled into a field, where officers arrested Oakland.

The dog in the car, named Jake, escaped and the police helicopter was used to track him down.

A vet was called to help care for the shaken animal, but the dog later died from injuries he suffered during the pursuit.

The dog's owner, Matthew Wilson, said the incident had been "extremely traumatic" for him and his family and the pet had been his "best friend".

"Jake wasn't simply a family pet, but a trained support dog, a companion, and my best friend.

"We had travelled to over 22 countries together and were planning on more adventures before his life was cut short.

"We continue to miss our boy Jake every day and it is still difficult to comprehend the unnecessary injuries and suffering he had to go through," Mr Wilson said.

Traffic Sgt Julian Pearson, from North Yorkshire Police, said Oakland "showed no regard for the safety of the family dog".

Oakland was found guilty of dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking, driving while disqualified and causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

As well as his jail sentence, he was disqualified from driving for three years and nine months.

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