Teenager was caught driving stolen BMW (From Craven Herald)

Teenager was caught driving stolen BMW

2:24pm Thursday 31st January 2013 in News

A 19-year-old who took a stolen BMW car and drove it around South Craven has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Jack Hartley told police he had received a call from a man, whom he refused to name, asking him to take the BMW and drive it around for a while, Skipton magistrates heard on Friday.

The BMW one series car had been stolen from Bradley overnight between February 29 and April 1 last year, the court heard.

Hartley claimed he agreed to take the car for a few days because threats had been made against his family, said prosecutor Caroline Midgley.

On April 5, a West Yorkshire police officer had seen the car being driven in the Keighley area and recognised it as being stolen.

The car was followed to Steeton where Hartley got out of it and ran off on foot. He was seen again getting into another car and was arrested, said Mrs Midgley.

Hartley, who admitted at an earlier hearing handling stolen goods, driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence and without insurance, had been convicted of handling stolen goods in 2011.

The court was told that Hartley, of Primrose Street, Keighley, was trying to turn his life around. He was shortly due to become a father and currently had two jobs.

But magistrates said because of the high value of the theft and because of his previous record, they were going to sentence him to four months in prison, suspended for 12 months.

He was also given a 12- month community order with a medium level activity requirement for up to 30 days and a curfew between 8pm and 7am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday for six months.

For driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence, his licence was endorsed and he was fined £60, and for driving without insurance he was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £200.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victims surcharge.