Former Honiton van driver jailed after ramming police car

Ryan Gillard, formerly of St Paul's Close in Honiton, led police on a 25-minute pursuit in which he carried on at high speed despite his wheels being punctured by a stinger device near Bickleigh Bridge.

He refused to stop for police because he was subject to three different disqualifications and had no insurance for the van, with which he tried to batter a police car out of the way at a road block.

The chase started in Tiverton where Gillard drove at 60mph in back streets with 30mph limits and he then took off into the countryside where police had to drive at 83mph on back lanes to keep up with him.

He was boxed in by three police vehicles on the A3072 near Tiverton but damaged the side and rear of one of them when he tried to ram it out of the way.

He tried to run off and was seen destroying his mobile phone before the police were able to seize it.

Gillard, aged 28, who now lives in Turner Rise, Tiverton, admitted dangerous driving and was jailed for a year by Judge David Evans, who added another disqualification and ordered him to take an extended re-test.

He told him: “You were driving a van while disqualified and must have become aware of the police when they turned on their blue lights and sirens. You made off after another individual alighted from the van.

“You sought to avoid the police for a lengthy period of time and over a considerable distance, beginning through the streets of Tiverton where you drove at 60 in a 30mph limit."

Gillard had been disqualified for a total of three years after two offences of failing to provide drink driving specimens in March and September 2022.

Mr Sam Wysocki, defending, said Gillard had a difficult childhood in care which left him with a distrust of authority and mental health issues including ADHD, PTSD, anxiety and paranoia.

He had the van because he runs his own business and wanted to convert it and sell it as a camper van.