A POLICE helicopter was launched over Southampton to hunt two men in a stolen BMW, a court heard.
The pair, who sparked a dangerous police chase, has avoided jail.
Prosecution barrister, Tim Moores, told how a police patrol car switched on its sirens after noticing the stolen BMW 520 in Southampton.
The driver, Damian Kamil Kucharski, 38, turned off his headlights and sped away.
He jumped multiple sets of red lights, drove the wrong way around a roundabout and even overtook an ambulance.
Mr Moores said that the police then tried to block the BMW in Spring Road.
Two officers parked their vehicle with one of them getting out to lay a stop stick - used to burst car tyres.
But Kucharski mounted the pavement and tried to drive past.
Mr Moores said that the other officer feared his colleague could have been "injured or worse so rolled his car forward to deliberately collide with the BMW and stop it".
Kucharski and his rear-seat passenger, Piotrek Kotynian, were arrested at the scene.
Southampton Crown Court heard how the BMW had been stolen from a Southampton home and that messages on Kotynian’s phone indicated that the 25-year-old, of Old Station Approach, Winchester, had been trying to sell it.
Kucharski was charged with dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking and making off without payment.
His co-defendant was charged with possessing an article for use in fraud, aggravated vehicle taking and two counts of possessing a class B drug.
Both pleaded guilty to the offences which happened in April last year.
Defending, Chris Gaiger, said that Kucharski, had since moved away from his Lovage Road home in Whiteley and is now living with his sister.
He stressed there is an “extremely likely” prospect of rehabilitation.
Robert Grey, for Kotynian, said his client had not offended since the incident and had got himself a job as a drivers mate.
Judge Christopher Parker QC jailed both men for 15 months, suspended two years.
Kotynian was disqualified for two years, and Kucharski was given a one year ban and fined £200. They must both complete 120 hours of unpaid work.
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