A man from Feltham found hiding in a wheelie bin following a high speed van chase has been sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Scott Stockbridge of Elmswood Avenue in Feltham, was convicted of dangerous driving, no insurance and failing to provide a specimen of breath, and disqualified from driving for five years, at Kingston Crown Court, yesterday (23).

The 36-year-old swerved across three lanes on the A316 in Richmond and onto a slip road, failing to stop when signalled by police, which ended in a six mile high speed police chase at 90mph before Stockbridge crashed the Volkswagen into a brick wall in a residential street in Teddington.

Scott Stockbridge

Police were in fact on their way to an emergency call on blue lights which they cancelled when this happened on March 15, at about 4am.

A police helicopter was called to help and tracked the vehicle and spotted the driver run off and hide nearby.

Officers on the ground were then directed to the nearby driveway of a house, where Stockbridge was found hiding in a wheelie bin.

He was arrested for failing to stop for police and smelt of alcohol but refused to take a breathalyser test.

Officers also found out he was uninsured.

Stockbridge denied being the driver of the van, but was found guilty after a four-day trial.

Acting Detective Sergeant Kieran Fenech of Richmond CID said, “This man’s driving was dangerous and reckless and could have had tragic consequences.

"Police drivers are trained to carefully asses these situations in order to minimise the risk to the public.

"In this case the use of the police helicopter was instrumental in following and finding Stockbridge.

"His refuge in a rubbish bin proved a forlorn attempt at escape.”