Crown court cases: Halifax's Boyd Cochrane jailed for dangerous driving, sex attack and wasting police time with bizarre allegations

Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday (July 19) that 38-year-old Boyd Cochrane, from Holmfield, had been involved in two lengthy police pursuits in 2021 and 2022 before he went on to sexually assault a woman after a night out.

Prosecutor Allan Armbrister described how Cochrane jumped into the driver’s seat of a car back in August 2021 after police stopped the vehicle to speak to the driver.

Cochrane ran red lights before driving down the wrong side of the carriageway on Calderdale Way and eventually abandoning the vehicle.

While he was on bail for that incident, Cochrane was involved in a second offence of dangerous driving in Leeds in January 2022.

On that occasion, Cochrane drove through coned off areas near the M621 and reached speeds of 101mph.

At the end of that pursuit, Cochrane, of School Close, tried to hide from officers but he was detained.

Later that year, Cochrane – who has a long history of mental health issues – committed an act of sexual assault against a woman after a night out drinking.

Mr Armbrister said the woman had told Cochrane that nothing sexual was going to happen but he pulled off her leggings and struck her a number of times to try to subdue her.

The court heard that Cochrane had also been responsible for making numerous nuisance calls to the police.

Mr Armbrister said the defendant would make bizarre allegations and blame other people, causing the police to have to investigate his claims.

Cochrane, who had 34 convictions for nearly 80 offences on his record, pleaded guilty to two offences of dangerous driving, an offence of sexual assault and an offence of wasting police time.

Cochrane was sentenced to 12 months in jail for the two dangerous driving matters with an additional three years in prison imposed for the sexual assault.

Recorder Anthony Hawks imposed an indefinite restraining order to keep Cochrane away from his victim and he must also register as a sex offender for the next 10 years.

Cochrane was also banned from driving for three years and he must taken an extended re-test.