Hartlepool teenager stole gran's Mini for a fourth time - and sped away from police at 99mph

The case was heard at Teesside Crown Court.

Harley Murray, 18, was on prison release for previously leading police on a 30-minute chase around Hartlepool after taking the Mini Cooper for the third time without his grandmother’s consent when he turned up at her home and did it again.

This time the ensuing police pursuit covered 40 miles in 15 minutes over 30 roads in the town, reaching 99mph in a 30 zone.

Murray’s grandmother called the police after he took the car at 10pm on August 17, Teesside Crown Court was told.

Two police cars took up the chase as he drove through a housing estate and over grassed areas and the wrong side of a roundabout, said prosecutor Harry Hadfield.

Mr Hadfield said: “This defendant drove on 30 roads in 30 miles an hour zones in Hartlepool reaching speeds of 77 miles an hour, in Oxford Road and Catcote Road at 99 miles an hour when the police driver had him in his headlights.

”It lasted fifteen minutes over 30 to 40 miles.”

In Burn Road, Hartlepool, he drove over a Stinger device placed by police which shredded the tyres and brought him to a halt, the court heard.

He made no comment when interviewed and he failed a breath-test with 52 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath where the limit is 35, the court heard.

Five months earlier he was jailed for 16 months for dangerous driving for 30 minutes in her Mini when he reached speeds of 84mph, went through red lights, over grassed areas and past crowds leaving pubs at closing-time, and almost collided with a taxi.

Again he was stopped by a Stinger destroying the tyres, and given a five-year driving ban.

His grandmother told the court in a victim impact statement: “This has now happened to me three or four times with my grandson.

”I have to replace tyres and brakes because of the damage caused to my vehicle because of it. Because of the Stinger device this time I had to find £480.”

Murray had seven convictions for 23 offences and he had been given disqualifications of three years and five years, and ordered to pass an extended driving test before getting behind the wheel again.

James Howard, defending, said: ”He is in the process of completing a painting and decorating course. He has been asked to be a mentor to other prisoners, which is quite unusual for an 18 year old

”He is going to ask to be enrolled on the DART programme, the Drug and Alcohol Team programme. He knows free effect that his drug and alcohol taking has had on himself and his grandmother.”

Judge Peter Armstrong told Murray, who appeared over a videolink from Durham Jail: “You can’t keep your hands off your grandmother’s Mini, and the cost to her has been great.

”If you go on like this you could end up killing somebody and you could end up in prison for the rest of your life.”

Murray, of St Abbas Walk, Hartlepool, was sentenced to 14 months youth custody and banned for three years and seven months after he pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicle taking, excess alcohol, driving while disqualified and without insurance.