THIS man says he was turned from victim to villain after a crime which drove him to the point of emigrating.

John Sellers, of Sellers Plant Hire, at Stamford Bridge, told the Evening Press that he and his family had gone through "seven months of hell" and mistreatment at the hands of the police.

It all came about after his £20,000 Isuzu pick-up truck was stolen from outside his isolated home, set back from the A166 close to the village of Skirpenbeck, in November last year.

Mr Seller's employs 11 men at his business and said the three months his pick-up was off the road having repairs cost about £48,000 in lost trade.

He said he was inside his house, making a cup of tea and his wife was vacuuming when the thief crept into their porch and stole the keys.

But Mrs Seller's ten-year-old son spotted the car being driven off and Mr Sellers set off in pursuit, driving his wife's Land Rover Freelander.

He travelled along the A166 in the direction of Bridlington, but his friend, Dunnington farmer Gary Kay, spotted the car in the Elvington area and gave chase.

It is thought that the thief drove through a red light and went across Sutton Bridge, but lost control and went through a thick stone wall on the east side of the B1228 Main Street.

A 20-year-old man was found soon afterwards after a police helicopter search. The man was discovered at a telephone box, conscious but with head injuries, and was taken to York Hospital by paramedics.

Mr Sellers, 36, and Mr Kay, searched the surrounding countryside until they found the two-month-old Isuzu wrecked and abandoned in a ditch.

Mr Sellers said he had never set eyes on the driver, but the next thing he knew he and Mr Kay were being arrested by the police.

They spent 48 hours in police custody at Fulford Road police station in York and were charged with assault. Both men denied the charges and they were withdrawn yesterday at Hull Crown Court.

"This whole thing has just left me feeling disgusted with the police and the justice system," said Mr Sellers.

"What it boils down to is you can't protect your own property in this country.

"I never set eyes on the lad and they just assumed I'd beat him up because they couldn't find any blood in the car.

"The whole thing was one big farce from start to finish, but it's left me with £9,000 of damage to my car and I don't trust the justice system any more - they tried to turn me from the victim of a crime into a criminal."

A Humberside Police spokesman said: "The police acted on the evidence that presented itself and the case was progressed with the Crown Prosecution Service to the point where it got to Crown Court and the complainant withdrew his cooperation."

The 20-year-old thief, who needed surgery for a broken jaw, later pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking and driving without a licence. He was sentenced to a community rehabilitation order and banned from driving for a year.

Updated: 09:40 Friday, July 01, 2005