A thief who stole an elderly man’s car before running him over and dragging him down the road has been jailed.

A hearing at Durham Crown was told, the victim was returning to his home in Bishop Auckland when he parked his car outside of his house to unlock the gates on Saturday (March 16).

As he left the vehicle, Aiden Kenny creeped into the car and began reversing it off the drive towards the main road.The Northern Echo:

In an attempt to stop Kenny, the victim held onto the driver’s door and asked him to get out which he ignored and began accelerating.

As he did, the victim was dragged from his house, all the way down the road before falling from the car.

The elderly victim was left in the middle of the road but was quickly attended to by nearby residents who called for an ambulance.

He was later taken to hospital with a bleed on the brain.

Warning: Distressing content

Meanwhile, Kenny made off from the scene and drove at speed towards Witton Park. He eventually lost control of the vehicle and crashed on Sloshes Lane.

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The Northern Echo:

When officers arrived Kenny was standing near to the stolen vehicle, he refused medical assistance from officers and instead became irate and spat at them and hurled abuse.

The 22-year-old, of no fixed abode, was taken to hospital and later charged with Section 18, grievous bodily harm with intent, dangerous driving, aggravated vehicle taking without consent and two counts of assault on an emergency worker.

He appeared at Durham Crown Court yesterday morning and was sentenced to 40 months in prison.