A heartless drug addict who took his partner’s car and a child’s birthday cash before leading police on a high-speed chase through Accrington has been jailed.
Paul Hatch, 33, had attended his partner’s house on August 17 this year to celebrate a birthday after earlier hanging out with a friend smoking weed and drinking alcohol, a court heard.
When his pregnant partner fell asleep on the sofa he stole her iPhone 5S and took a Ford Fiesta and birthday money which he intended to use to get more drugs.
However, he was later spotted in Accrington and led police on a dangerous chase through the town centre and into Church where he was arrested.
Hatch pleaded guilty at Burnley Crown Court to dangerous driving, driving without a licence, using a car without insurance, theft and taking a car without the owner’s consent.
He was jailed for 12 months, disqualified from driving for 19 months and ordered to take an extended re-test.
Lisa Worsley, prosecuting, told the court how Hatch took the car at 4.30am on August 18 and locked the front door leaving his partner effectively ‘imprisoned’ inside.
Officers on patrol on Blackburn Road in Accrington later spotted Hatch at 9.30pm.
When he refused to pull over he sped off down Blackburn Road onto King Street and Hyndburn Road.
Miss Worsley said Hatch, of Great Bolton Street, Blackburn, reached speeds ‘in excess of 60mph’ and ‘overtook three cars by veering into the opposite carriageway into oncoming traffic’ and went through a red light.
Police followed him down Henry Street and onto Barnes Street, Albert Street and Church Street where he was eventually caught after running off into a dead end alleyway.
He told police how he had been struggling with a drug habit and ‘was out of it on drugs’.
Anthony Parkinson, defending, said it was an ‘isolated incident’ and he has not appeared before the courts for 10 years.
The court heard how the former drugs agency volunteer and chef had a ‘turbulent and toxic’ 18-month relationship with the victim and he ‘took the easy option by going back to drugs’.
Mr Parkinson said he was in ‘desperate need for money to fuel and fund that addiction’ and since the incident ‘has taken positive steps to turn his life around’.
