A MAN branded “a menace to society” by a judge has been jailed for a string of thefts and driving offences across north London.

Greg Disbrey, of Fairway Court, Mill Hill, was convicted last week at Wood Green Crown Court after pleading guilty to four counts of handling stolen goods, one count of aggravated vehicle theft, driving while disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.

The 23-year-old was already on licence from prison when he was arrested in May.

Officers had spotted him getting into a stolen BMW convertible in Westmere Drive on May 25. He attempted to drive off and rammed an unmarked police car as it arrived on the scene.

Detective Sergeant Trevor Fradd got out of the car and asked Disbrey to pull over, but he ignored the officer and reversed back before driving directly at him.

DS Fradd was knocked to the ground and sustained serious injuries to his leg which he is still receiving physiotherapy for, police said.

Disbrey drove off and after a six day man hunt, he was discovered with a woman in the Comfort Hotel, in Leisure Way, North Finchley.

Officers found keys to a VW Golf, which was parked in the car park, and identified it as one which had been stolen in a burglary in Borehamwood, in April. It also had false number plates which had been stolen from a car in Palmers Green.

He was sentenced to four years in prison, disqualified from driving for four years and will have to pass an extended driving test.

The court confirmed the latest sentence will not start until February 2011, as Disbrey was on licence from prison when the offences in May took place.

In sentencing His Honour Judge Simon Carr said Disbrey was a “career criminal” who would steal anything he could get his hands on.

He added: “You have admitted to a series of offences and with your previous convictions you are clearly a menace to society.

“With regard to knocking down the officer and having looked at your previous convictions this is not the first time you have done it and on this occasion it wouldn’t have mattered who was in your way, so as a result you will receive the following sentence to prevent others from being hurt.”

Officer in the case, Detective Constable Reg Pickering, of Barnet CID said: “Disbrey is a man who has made his way in life through criminal acts.

“He has committed numerous crimes across North London and Hertfordshire and left a trail of victims in his wake.

“Hopefully this sentence will make him and others who might seek to imitate him realise, that when you get caught, you will be locked up for a long time”