A trained service dog died after a thief stole his owner’s car and later crashed during a 80mph police chase.
Matthew Wilson, who has autism and ADHD, had left his beloved Doberman named Jake in his Range Rover when Nicholas Oakland broke in.
The 30-year-old stole the vehicle parked outside a shop in Acomb, York, with the pet still locked up.
He then led police, including a helicopter, on a high-speed chase, nearly crashing into the crowd.
A video shows the moment Oakland rolled three times with the 4×4 while trying to drive across a field to evade police.
Poor Jake watched him stumble away from the car as officers arrived at the scene of the horror crash.
After their suspect was apprehended, officers found the injured dog half a mile away.
A vet was quickly called in to help Jake, but he died a few weeks later.
To Mr. Wilson, his pet was not just a family dog, but a trained service dog, “a companion and my best friend.”
“The past few months have been extremely traumatic for our family,” says the app developer.
“We had traveled to more than 22 countries together and planned to have more adventures before his life was cut short.
“We continue to miss our boy Jake every day and it’s still hard to comprehend the needless injuries and suffering he had to go through that ultimately caused him to lose his life.
“We want to thank the North Yorkshire Police for their support and care during this trial and for making sure Jake got justice.”
Oakland was found guilty by the York Crown Court of dangerous driving, confiscation of vehicles, driving while disqualified, undue suffering of an animal and driving without insurance.
He was jailed for 19 months and banned from driving for three years and nine months for the February 24 incident.
North Yorkshire Police Traffic Sergeant Julian Pearson said this devastating case “touched everyone” involved in the investigation.
Driving ‘Oaklands’ posed a serious risk to other road users because he steered the stolen vehicle in a terrible manner,” he added.
Fortunately, with the deployment of specialized police resources, we were able to quickly bring the vehicle to a halt, less than 30 minutes after it was reported stolen.
He showed no respect for the safety of the family dog who was in the back of the vehicle.
“It was imperative that we locate Jake quickly after the collision and ensure that he received immediate veterinary care and returned to his owners.”
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