Amazon delivery driver's van stolen in South Elmsall, court told

The driver, who was working for Amazon, saw two men drinking vodka when he entered a street in South Kirkby on June 1.

An accomplice snatched the driver's van keys from his waistband and threw them to Graham Smith after the driver had made a delivery at a house on the street.

Prosecutor, David Hewitt said the van driver asked Smith's accomplice to call Smith and return his personal car keys from the van.

Smith, 51, drove back, gave the driver his car keys and the accomplice got in the van and they drove away.

Police later stopped the van after spotting it in Doncaster and two officers approached it and asked Smith to turn off the ignition.

Smith drove off and a police pursuit started.

The court heard one police driver made "tactical" contact with the van and trapped it between a police car and a tree.

Mr Hewitt said Smith reversed and drove forward through a hedge and into a a farmer's field.

He then drove through a red light at temporary road works and drove at 50mph in a 30mph zone.

An oncoming police car had to swerve to avoid the van, which drove through a crossroads without giving way.

Smith lost control of the van at a sharp left hand bend and it went into a ditch.

Smith ran away and hid in a hedgerow and was arrested along with his accomplice.

Mr Hewitt said the van belonged to a small company that works with Amazon.

He said the van was a total loss after damage of more than £12,000 was caused.

A police car was left undriveable and £1,000 damage was done to crops in the farmer's field.

Smith, of no fixed abode, admitted theft of a motor vehicle and dangerous driving.

He has 33 previous convictions for 104 offences.

The court heard Smith was jailed for 54 months in August for burglary.

Judge Christopher Batty handed Smith a four-month jail sentence and banned him from driving for 26 months for the latest offences