Jail for man who sped away from police in stolen car before crashing into home

A man who crashed into a house in a stolen car following a police pursuit has been jailed.

Craig Stoneham was locked up for more than three years following the incident, which happened more than four years ago.

Cambridge Crown Court heard how the theft of the car was reported after Stoneham (31) of Smiths Drive, March had been arrested and the stolen BMW recovered.

The court was told that the victim – a woman, living in The Green, Haddenham, Ely – came downstairs just before 7am on 18 August, 2018, to find her back window had been smashed and her BMW had been taken from the driveway, alongside a laptop.

She called the police and was surprised to find her car had already been located and a suspect arrested.

Three hours earlier at about 4am police officers on patrol spotted the BMW being driven erratically on the A142 near Chatteris.

They indicated the vehicle should pullover, however rather than stopping, it sped away from them.

A short pursuit followed, which ended in Wenny Road, Chatteris where the officers found the vehicle had crashed into a house.

The driver, Stoneham, then attempted to run and hide from the officers but was quickly found and arrested.

He was taken to hospital with minor injuries and was further arrested once it had been confirmed the car had been stolen.

The BMW was written off and the structural damage to the house following the crash is estimated to have cost £34,000 to repair.

Stoneham pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods, aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and criminal damage.

He was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday (24 August) to three years and nine months in prison.

Following the sentencing, DS James Rabbet from Cambridgeshire Police said: “Stoneham is a convicted criminal with several thefts against his name.

“Despite being sent to prison multiple times he does not appear to change his ways, therefore for as long as he keeps offending, we will continue to put him back before the courts.”