Teen given two-year detention for dangerous driving and burglary

Bradley Garratt, of Tipton, was sentenced to two years in youth detention for his actions and for a string of motoring offences including dangerous driving where he clocked up speeds of almost 100mph.

The 18-year-old pleaded guilty to 17 offences relating to several incidents including burglary at a property in Wolverhampton after stealing a Ford van and personal belongings on January 17. The driver left the keys in the ignition.

Sentencing him, Judge Michael Chambers QC said: "The clear inference is that you were on the lookout for when owners leave keys to carry out tasks meaning to return to their vehicles. None were recovered except one."

"Clearly you were in close connection with those able to dispose of such vehicles."

"You are relatively young. You have committed a lot of offences. If you continue like this you will be receiving sentences of many years," Judge Chambers added.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard the defendant was able to ascertain where the victim lived and stole jewellery from his home. The van worth £2,500 was never recovered.

Prior to that Garratt was arrested for dangerous driving on March 7 last year after he led police on a chase at speeds of up 95mph from Horseley Heath, in Tipton, to Castle View Road, in Moxley, at the wheel of an Audi taken from outside an Oldbury pub. The pursuit only came to an end when the car was stopped by a stinger device.

After his arrest for that matter Garratt carried out a theft on May 19 for which he received a nine-month referral order, but he breached the order on October 18 when he was again arrested along with a co-defendant for offences relating to driving a Nissan without authority and at high speed.

Garratt was also arrested relating to the theft of a Vauxhall Corsa on February 10 and relating to theft of an Audi A4 on April 16 from outside Tesco, in Dudley, and theft of a £600 electric saw from a Mercedes goods van.

Mr Charnjit Jutla, mitigating, asked the judge to suspend the detention period instead of keeping him him in custody, but the request was rejected.

"I have to concede that he has crossed the custody threshold. He is of tender age. He has to accept responsibility for his actions," Mr Jutla said.

"At the time he found the experience thrilling - enjoying joyriding and not thinking about the consequences," he added.

Garratt, of Coronation Road, Tipton, was sentenced to two years detention in a young offenders' institute minus 42 days already served on remand in custody. He must serve half the term before being released on licence. He was also disqualified from driving for three years and will be required to sit an extended test in future.