Van Driver Receives Sentence After Police Dog Tracks Him Down Following Police Car Ramming

A van driver has received a sentence after ramming a police vehicle during an escape attempt and subsequently being located by a police dog. According to Nottinghamshire Police, Luke Monk was observed by officers traveling at speeds exceeding 90mph (144km/h) on the M1 motorway in the early morning of October 12. He proceeded into a residential zone where he abandoned the cloned Ford Transit van, but was pursued and apprehended by police dog Rambo. The 36-year-old individual was given a suspended sentence at Nottingham Crown Court on Monday. Police reported that Monk, residing at Hall Drive, Sandiacre, Derbyshire, exited the motorway at junction 26 and initially seemed to comply with a controlled stop before accelerating and ramming a marked police vehicle, then reversing into it again. He then drove away in the direction of Nottingham, achieving speeds of approximately 80mph (128km/h) within residential zones, ultimately exiting the vehicle. Rambo subsequently pursued him, even after Monk threw a wheelie bin towards the dog. The police force stated that he had performed dangerous overtakes of other vehicles and extinguished his van’s lights in an attempt to evade detection, later becoming abusive towards officers following his arrest. Monk received a 20-month custodial sentence, which was suspended for a period of two years, after admitting guilt to charges of dangerous driving, failing to stop, causing criminal damage, driving without a licence, and driving without insurance. Additionally, he was prohibited from driving for three years and mandated to undertake 100 hours of unpaid community service. Sergeant Nick Dachtler, from the force’s dog section, commented that Rambo performed a “vital job” in the apprehension of Monk. “Rambo did an exceptional job during this incident – even after the vehicle he was travelling in was violently rammed by a larger vehicle,” Sergeant Dachtler stated.