A MAN who went on an "absolutely terrifying" rampage through an English town on his birthday has been jailed for five years.
Ryan Brennan crashed cars, stole vehicles and threatened pedestrians and police with a knife during the incident in Warrington in August.
The 39-year-old of Waterside, Appleton, was jailed this week at Liverpool Crown Court after earlier pleading guilty to dangerous driving, threats to kill, affray, aggravated vehicle taking and driving without a licence or insurance.
"This was an absolutely terrifying ordeal for all those involved and I welcome the guilty plea entered by Brennan," said Detective Constable Leah Greenacre.
Fit of rage
The incident began on Thursday, August 19 when Brennan had been celebrating with his partner, drinking and taking illegal drugs ahead of his birthday the following day.
He woke up in the early hours of Friday, August 20 and left the house in the family car, a Nissan Juke.
A short time later, at 6.23am, Brennan was involved in a collision with a Volkswagen Polo on Capesthorne Road.
It was alleged that Brennan purposely drove his car into the back of the victim's car in a fit of rage.
Following the crash, he got out of his car and threatened the driver of the Polo with a knife.
In a bid to escape from the scene, he then went on to threaten other motorists with the knife, demanding that they gave him their cars.
While some of the victims were able to escape, Brennan managed to steal a black BMW from a 54-year-old woman who was heading to the local post office.
He then drove the stolen car along Poplars Avenue before colliding with a fence near Toll Bar Road, narrowly missing a pedestrian who was out walking his dog.
Brennan then made off from the scene on foot in an attempt to evade officers, before making threats towards them with a knife.
However he was quickly arrested on Winwick Road, Warrington.
'Dangerous individual'
"He is clearly a dangerous individual and the sentence handed to him today reflects the severity of his actions," said DC Greenacre.
"Throughout the incident the manner of his driving was also totally abhorrent and it was only by sheer chance that nobody was killed or seriously injured as a result of his actions.
"During his rampage, Brennan verbally abused and physically attacked a number of people, and for them the incident doesn't just end there, it has a lasting effect.
"I want to thank the victims and witnesses in the case for having the strength to support the prosecution case."
Brennan was also handed a three-year driving ban, which will begin upon his release from custody.
