Kelly Sherif, prosecuting, told York Crown Court that less than three weeks before the crash, Cowgill had carried out a crime spree in Harrogate, stealing among things, Chablis and prosecco from Tesco and wine from the White Hart Hotel in Cold Bath Road.

He had a previous conviction for drink driving when the judge said he had been substantially over the drink-drive limit and was on a suspended prison sentence for arson and malicious communication when he carried out the motoring offence, the court heard.

Following the case, North Yorkshire Police released the footage.

Pc Babs Parsons, from North Yorkshire Police, said: “Cowgill is lucky he did not kill or seriously injure someone that day. The manner in which he drove demonstrated a clear danger to other road users and I’m amazed he did not cause any more collisions.

“This was not a momentary lapse in concentration, this is a sustained period in which Cowgill paid very little or no attention at all to the road and was clearly not in control of the van he was driving.

“I thank the owner of the van for bringing this footage to our attention as it has enabled us to take a very dangerous driver off the road.”