'Lunatic' vehicle thief drove stolen truck at owner, rammed police and smashed JCB through gates
A "lunatic" vehicle thief has been put behind bars after driving a recovery truck he stole at its owner, ramming a police car and ploughing a JCB through a fence.
Ryan Davies, aged 32, embarked on a spree of motoring crime in June and July this year which involved "highly dangerous" driving.
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told how Davies stole a recovery truck with a Skoda car on the back from a man's home address in Telford on June 12.
He smashed into another vehicle belonging to the victim, a Vauxhall Zafira, before driving off. The victim saw what was happening, so got in the Zafira and gave chase.
Davies made for the M54 and undertook a number of dangerous manoeuvres, including driving the wrong way around a roundabout.
But, given the truck was limited to 55mph, he could not outpace the victim. Instead, he performed a U-turn on a slip road off Junction 5 for Telford town centre, drove at the victim and crashed, causing the Zafira to spin and end up in an embankment.
