Man jailed for driving stolen bulldozer across city

A man has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after stealing a 24-tonne bulldozer and driving it through Wolverhampton city centre, before smashing into a Royal Mail lorry, commandeered by police to block the road.

The D6 Caterpillar, which the court was told was worth £385,000, was taken from an address in Staffordshire by Darren Coffey, on 8 November 2025.

The 41-year-old, from Sandwell, removed the vehicle's tracker in the process and drove it through Wolverhampton in a bid to target a business with which he was involved in an ongoing civil dispute, the court heard.

Handing down the sentence on Wednesday, Judge Perry said the offences were "too serious" for a community order.

"You do represent a risk, and in my view the seriousness of the offence means that the only appropriate punishment can be immediate custody, I'm going to have to send you to prison today," he told Coffey, who could be heard crying in the dock.

Coffey previously pleaded guilty to nine charges, including dangerous driving, criminal damage, drink driving and threatening to destroy property.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that after taking the bulldozer and removing the tracker, Coffey admitted to driving it over the border into Wolverhampton, around the ring road and on to New Road, Willenhall.

He called West Midlands Police, the court heard, stating he wanted to burn down Willenhall Motors, which is located on New Road, and said he was "heading there with two petrol cans".

In a further call to police, the court was told, Coffey said he had taken the bulldozer and made his way to Willenhall Motors where he would "smash it up".

Perry said that there was an "ongoing civil dispute in relation to a vehicle Coffey owned".

As well as failing to stop, the judge said Coffey damaged various items of street furniture.

"From the video footage I've seen, it's fair to say [you] caused untold chaos to the road users," he said.

"You reversed into oncoming traffic, and on one occasion that included police cars.

"The effect of that on normal road users is demonstrated from the expletives reacted by the police officers."

The judge added that Coffey also drove on the wrong side of the dual carriageway.

Police got special permission to block Coffey's path with a HGV, which the court was told was commandeered from the Royal Mail, as well as a trailer.

The court heard that Coffey used the bulldozer to push the trailer out of his way, causing damage to it.

This all happened over about three hours, taking place from about 17:30 to 20:15 GMT.

Coffey was under the influence of drink and drugs at the time, and in mitigation it was said he had had addiction issues for a number of years.

On 10 November he pleaded guilty to the following charges at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court:

• Dangerous driving

• Threatening to destroy property

• Failing to stop

• Criminal damage (relating to the HGV)

• Criminal damage (relating to the bulldozer)

• Driving without a license

• Driving without insurance

• Aggravated vehicle taking

• Drink driving

Perry sentenced Coffey to 18 months in prison for dangerous driving and threatening to destroy property, with no separate penalty for the other offences.

Coffey has also been banned from driving for three years, and will need to do an extended retest before he can apply again.

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