Shocking dashcam footage showing a police car being rammed on the M1, causing it to spin and hit a barrier at over 70mph, has been released after two men were locked up for multiple offences.
Nottingham Crown Court heard more than £100,000 in damage was believed to have been caused as a result of 24-year-old Robert Wingate’s and 19-year-old Deimantas Palaima’s behaviour during the early hours of 2 December 2021.
Four police vehicles were damaged after being rammed during the pursuit after a Mercedes Sprinter van, stolen from an address in Sheffield and on cloned plates, was followed on the M1 into Nottinghamshire after initially being spotted at junction 21.
Police attempted to stop the driver, but they failed to stop, and as the van headed further north teams from Nottinghamshire joined colleagues from Derbyshire and Leicestershire as they worked together to try to bring the incident to a safe conclusion.
The van was weaving all over the road, at over 70mph, and made contact with multiple police vehicles as the occupants tried to evade capture.
As an attempt was made to box in the van, it rammed a number of police cars out of the way. As it approached junction 26, Nottinghamshire officers took the lead.
As they tried to box in the van again, between junctions 26 and 27, a Nottinghamshire police car was rammed, causing it to swerve and hit the barrier at speed.
Thankfully the two officers in the BMW car were not seriously injured. The car was damaged beyond repair.
Another Nottinghamshire car was damaged after a wheel came off the rammed vehicle and hit it.
As the van approached junction 37, just outside Barnsley in South Yorkshire, it hit a stinger device and was finally brought to a stop on the hard shoulder. Two men were arrested and numerous items of stolen kitchen equipment were found in the back of the van.
The driver of the van, 24-year-old Robert Wingate, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, aggravated vehicle taking, two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and four counts of criminal damage.
Wingate, of HMP Hull, was locked up for a total of three years and nine months. This sentence will start at the conclusion of the current sentence he is serving.
He was also banned from driving for three years and three months.
The passenger, 19-year-old Deimantas Palaima, filmed the pursuit on his phone and gesticulated to officers as the van rammed into police vehicles.
The court heard Palaima had ‘encouraged Wingate to drive as he did’, with both men described as ‘posing an enormous risk to the general public.’
Palaima, of Throstle Row, Middleton, Leeds, pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, aggravated vehicle taking (being carried), two charges of assault causing actual bodily harm and one count of criminal damage.
He was locked up for a total of 25 months and banned from driving for 25 months.
Wingate and Palaima were sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court yesterday (Monday 13 February 2023).
Detective Sergeant Matt Dumbrell, from Nottinghamshire Police, said: “It’s a miracle our two officers who were rammed off the road were not seriously injured.
“This dangerous driving showed total disregard for the safety of others using the road and put the lives of others at serious risk.
“It was only thanks to determined police teamwork the van was brought to a halt before any further harm was caused.
“I’m pleased Wingate and Palaima have now been locked up and I hope the sentences they have received give them an opportunity to consider their actions.”
