A BANNED driver who rammed a police car during a York city centre pursuit will be sentenced by a crown court judge.

The chase began after Adam John Humpherson, 37, stole a car parked on double yellow lines on Gillygate, said Alex Steadward, prosecuting at York Magistrates' Court.

Humpherson, of Rowntree Avenue, Clifton, pleaded guilty to  dangerous driving, driving whilst disqualified, driving without insurance, theft of a car and two charges of shop theft.

York magistrates decided their maximum sentence of six months was not enough for Humpherson, who has a history of motoring offences.

He is currently banned because he has not taken an extended driving test following a two-year ban imposed at York Crown Court in 2021 for driving the wrong way along the A64 dual carriageway near York during an 80mph police chase.

Mr Steadward said Humpherson stole alcohol from Sainsbury’s in Bootham on July 30 last year.

Also nearby was the car owner, who left his car on double yellow lines in Gillygate with its hazard lights on and its keys in the ignition at 10.30pm while he went into Tesco Express.

While the owner was in the shop, Humpherson stole his car and drove off.

Police alerted by the owner located Humpherson, in a yellow jacket driving the car in Bootham and ordered it to stop.

But Humpherson made off, driving through the city centre, hitting 40mph in a 30mph zone.

Police pursued him with their blue lights and siren on.

At one point, Humpherson did a U-turn and slowed down, enabling the police to box him in.

But he then reversed, ramming a police car and damaging it.

For Humpherson, Craig Robertson accepted that the case was too serious for magistrates to sentence.

Magistrates decided that a separate offence of stealing alcohol from the Co-op in Stonebow on October 28 should also be committed to York Crown Court so that all Humpherson's offences could be sentenced at the same time and by the same court.

Mr Robertson did not give any mitigation after magistrates decided that sentence would be postponed to allow the case to be transferred between the two courts.

Humpherson’s next appearance will be before a crown court judge at York Crown Court on March 21.

He was released on unconditional bail and given an interim ban.