Watch: The moment a freezer is thrown from the back of a van during police chase

A Rhondda man has been jailed for dangerous driving after items were launched at pursuing police officers from the back of a van including a metal spanner and freezer.

Daniel Symmons, 31, from Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday, June 26.

On Sunday, April 8, 2024, police received information about a white Citroen van with false number plates parked outside the Three Saints Hotel in Llantrisant.

As officers were looking for the van, it was seen travelling towards Llantrisant Common.

Symmons refused to stop whilst driving over the common and began to break heavily, coming to a stop before reversing into a police car, causing minor injuries to the officer driving.

The pursuit continued and Symmons began throwing items out of the van, including a metal spanner and a bottle of liquid which burst on the pursuing car’s windscreen.

Freezer

The rear doors of the van then opened and there was a passenger in the back of the van who proceeded to push a freezer out of the van onto the road in front of the pursuing officer who managed to narrowly avoid the freezer.

Symmons then brought the car to a stop and ran from pursuing officers. With the assistance of a police helicopter Symmons was caught and arrested.

Further checks revealed that Symmons had an expired substantive driving license and did not hold insurance for the vehicle.

He was sentenced to 10 months in prison for dangerous driving, driving with no insurance, criminal damage, and assaulting an emergency worker.

He will serve five months in prison and the remainder in the community.  He was also banned from driving for 23 months.