Dagenham man jailed for stealing a van before head-butting police officer

Jahrell Warren was sentenced to eight months imprisonment (Pic-Met Police)

A Dagenham thief who stole and crashed a van before head-butting a police officer has been jailed. 

Jahrell Warren, of Manor Road, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, assault on an emergency worker and criminal damage. 

He also admitted driving with no insurance, failing to provide a specimen for analysis and failing to stop at the scene of an accident.

He was sentenced to eight months imprisonments. 

The court heard how he had used a skeleton ignition key to steal a Ford Transit van off a driveway of an address in Standwell, Surrey on July, 4, 2021.

The following day the vehicle was involved in a collision in Enfield, Warren drove off from the scene before being stopped by police in Linden Avenue.

A police officer approached the vehicle, Warren refused to co-operate and tried to leave via the passenger side door before he was detained. 

Whilst in hand cuffs he head-butted the officer, causing an injury to his lip. 

Once Warren was in a custody van, he urinated, which led to the van needing to be deep cleaned.

Police Constable Matthew Olive of the Met’s Road and Transport Policing Command said: “Assaults on police officers in the line of duty will not be tolerated and I am glad Jahrell Warren will now spend a period of time in jail.

“By stealing the van and then crashing it, he showed a complete disregard for the safety of members of the public.

“The damage he caused to the police van further illustrates his contempt for public property. Credit should be given to the arresting officer, who gave chase and detained Warren and assisted in achieving this result.”

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