A MAN who rammed a moving police car with a transit van that was stolen from Little Hulton has been jailed.

Daniel Cowell, aged 25, has been sentenced to five years and four months in prison after driving a Ford Transit van, which had been stolen from an address in Little Hulton, directly at a police patrol car.

Officers in the unmarked police vehicle had been patrolling Salford on the afternoon of Tuesday, September 5, when they began pursuing the stolen Ford Transit.

During the pursuit, the van turned around quickly and drove directly at the patrol car, ramming into them, before driving off.

The two officers in the patrol car had to receive hospital treatment and were unable to continue their usual duties for a period of time.

When the officers returned to work, they spotted Cowell, of Mayan Avenue, Salford, driving a stolen Renault Megan.

He again attempted to ram the officers off the road but this time they managed to stop him and Cowell was arrested.

Sergeant Danny Kabal, of GMP’s tactical vehicle intercept unit, said: “Cowell’s actions during the two pursuits were nothing short of an attack on police officers who were just trying to do their job and protect the public.

“Not only did he take these vehicles that didn’t belong to him but he then proceeded to use them as a weapon, putting innocent members of the public and officers safety at risk without giving it a second thought.

“This kind of behaviour has no place in civilised society and simply cannot be tolerated. We will continue to pursue criminals like Cowell and hold them accountable for their actions.”

Cowell, who was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court on Friday, April 20, previously pleaded guilty to criminal damage with intent to endanger life, aggravated taking without owners consent (TWOC), driving without insurance and driving without a license.