A Sulby teenager will spend his 18th birthday in prison after being jailed for 12 weeks for nine driving offences.
Thomas Daniel Richards, of Ballabrooie, was involved in a 70mph car chase with police despite not having passed a driving test.
He pleaded guilty to the nine charges and was also in breach of a suspended sentence imposed in October 2015.
The court heard how, on June 21 at 9.50pm, a policewoman who knew Richards only held a provisional licence, saw him drive past Ramsey bus station in a bright orange Vauxhall Corsa not displaying any ‘L’ plates.
He was reported and was also later seen at Corkill’s garage in Onchan.
Police spoke to Richards, who will not be 18 until September 18, and he admitted driving in Ramsey and Onchan. He was charged with driving with no vehicle licence, no insurance, no driving licence, and failing to notify a change of ownership.
In a second incident, on July 26 at 3.20am, police saw Richards in a Volkswagen Polo stopped at the drive-through window at McDonald’s fast food restaurant on Peel Road.
They pulled in front of the Polo but he reversed the car away, then accelerated forward, mounting the kerb of the drive-through and exiting towards the Quarterbridge.
Police followed with sirens on and blue lights flashing but were unable to catch Richards.
He drove across the roundabout at the Quarterbridge onto the wrong side of the road heading towards Peel.
Officers said that they were driving at 70mph in a 40mph zone but were still not gaining on the teenager.
Richards turned up towards the school, again on the wrong side of the road, still not stopping despite police sirens.
In the Mount Rule area police lost sight of the Polo. The car was traced to Richards’ stepfather who said he had not given permission for the car to be used. Richards pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, taking a vehicle without consent, having no insurance, a licence offence and failing to stop for police.
Chairman of the magistrates Pat Costain told the teenager: ‘Dangerous driving in a built up area involving a police chase is a serious offence. There was a real risk of injury to other road users. Only yesterday in the UK there was a report of a 10-year-old and his aunt killed with a stolen car during a police chase.
‘You have a long list of previous road traffic offences. Despite your young age we consider the dangerous driving was so serious that custody is the only option.’
Richards was sentenced to six weeks jail for dangerous driving and six for breaching the suspended sentence.
He was also disqualified from driving for two years.