A MAN with “a history of driving offences and dishonesty” who ran away from police while handcuffed has been jailed for a total of 18 months.

Ryan Heaton, 29, of Fell Lane, Keighley, was arrested in South Street, Keighley on August 18 after being spotted by police pulling out of a petrol station in a Vauxhall Astra.

He was found to be driving while disqualified, having been banned from driving in 2011 for three years, but has failed to take an extended re-test since.

He was arrested and put in the back of a police car by an officer, who then sat in the front. A man who had also been in the car came over to the police car and began speaking to the officer, before opening the back door.

Heaton then got out and ran away, and managed to get out of his handcuffs before being caught four hours later.

There had been a warrant issued for his arrest, after he failed to attend Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court in July.

He had been due in court after stealing a woman’s Mulberry handbag and its contents in The Station pub in Ilkley on March 17, while drinking with his then girlfriend.

He was bailed by police over this offence, and was later stopped on April 14 in Cross Hills in a car he was driving with no licence or insurance, in which he had two sets of bolt croppers, two crowbars, two sets of pliers, a wrench and a torch.

Alisha Kaye, prosecuting, said Heaton has a number of previous convictions dating back to 2005, with many for driving while disqualified and dishonesty.

Shufqat Khan, mitigating, conceded Heaton has a “extensive criminal record”, and was in prison from 2011 to 2013.

He said since his release Heaton had not offended until earlier this year when he formed a “toxic relationship” with a woman, which had “a negative and corrosive effect” on him, including drinking heavily and missing work.

In sentencing, Judge Jonathan Rose said: “It’s true you have a dreadful record, but it is true since receiving a substantial sentence you stayed out of trouble for a long period of time.

“You formed a relationship which has been provided as an explanation for your return to crime.

“You are 29-years-old, not nine, you are a grown man. You have thrown away your good character you have built up, and you have an inability to take charge of your actions.

“Hopefully when you get to prison you will shake your head and say, what have I done with my life.”

Heaton received four months for driving while disqualified and six months for escaping from custody, served concurrently, and four months for theft, seven months for going equipped to steal, and one month for failure to surrender to court, to be served consecutively. He was also banned from driving for two years and nine months.