Tearaway teen in police chase

The 17-year-old boy, from Blackpool, had a number of previous offences of joyriding and driving dangerously on his record.

The boy, who can not be identified for legal reason, pleaded guilty to breaching a youth rehabilitation order, imposed for the aggravated taking of a car, when he failed to keep a curfew.

He was sentenced to a 12-month detention and training order and disqualified from driving for one year by District Judge Jeff Brailsford, sitting at Blackpool Youth Court.

The judge told him: “This is your 31st set of convictions. Other orders have not worked because you have not worked with youth offending workers trying to help you.

“How you managed to do the things you have done without killing or injuring yourself I do not know.”

Scott Ainge, prosecuting, said the boy was identified by CCTV after he stole CDs and a pen drive from a car parked in Lostock Hall, Preston.

The following day, after the boy had appeared at Preston Magistrates’ Court on November 17 last year, police went to the police cells to arrest him over the theft from the car. The boy ran at a police officer with his head and cell security officers had to assist in restraining him.

On January 4, a Chrysler car was taken from outside an address in Thornton. Police spotted the car, being driven by the boy, on Shear Brow, Blackburn.

During a police chase the boy drove at more than 50mph over speed bumps. He also tried to ram a police car but failed because he was trying to reverse into it uphill,

On Barbara Castle Way, he crashed into a fence, then he and his three passengers fled. The boy was chased and caught and when told what he was being arrested for, replied: “It doesn’t matter, it’s all one big charge anyway.”

Steve Scott, defending, said his client was a troubled youngster who suffered from depression. Following a tragic incident involving his father, the boy had gone off the rails. He had lived alone in a one-bed flat which made him more depressed. He had then got in with bad company.