Billingham burglar's sentence extended for handling charges

Bradley Hughes was spotted by police in a stolen Audi A4 and successfully made off when they tried to pull him over.

The 22-year-old raced through the streets of Billingham, driving across a grassed area, and leaving the ground as he sped over speed humps.

Teesside Crown Court heard how officers were forced to call off the pursuit as his driving was so dangerous on July 9 this year.

Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, said the defendant was spotted on Newbury Way, Billingham before leading the police on a high-speed chase.

She said: “As it accelerated away, the vehicle swerved across the single carriageway, there was a short pursuit where it swerved across the white lines several times.

“The vehicle then swerved and left the road onto a green belt and while travelling over speed bumps, it left the ground.”

Miss Haugstad said the car, which was stolen in West Yorkshire, was found abandoned in the area just over a week later.

She said Hughes was arrested on July 26 when he was stopped while driving another stolen vehicle, this time a VW Golf taken in Edinburgh, which had five sets of different number plates in the boot.

Bradley Hughes (Image: Cleveland Police)

Hughes, of no fixed abode but formerly of Billingham, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, two handling stolen goods charges, driving without insurance, and driving without a licence.

The court heard how in October Hughes was sentenced to 29 months in prison for his role in a series of 2-in-1 burglaries in the region.

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The defendant had pleaded guilty to two burglaries and four thefts.

Tom Bennett, mitigating, said the convicted burglar's life changed after he had fallen in with a group of more hardened criminals at the time of the offending.

Recorder Anthony Kelbrick sentenced Hughes to 12-months in custody to run consecutively with his earlier sentence.

Hughes was also banned from driving for 18 months.