AN Edmonton man who crashed a car he had just stolen and then tried to flee the scene has been jailed.

Luke Byles, 35, of Amersham Avenue, stole the car from Hedge Lane on May 2, before almost instantly crashing it into another car in Ridge Avenue, Winchmore Hill – leaving the other driver with chest pains.

Police who were flagged down to the accident found that Byles – who was already disqualified from driving – had tried to escape but had been detained by a member of the public.

Byles pleaded guilty to stealing the car, failing to stop at the accident, and driving whilst disqualified, and was sentenced to two years in prison at Wood Green Crown Court on Thursday.